KUALA LUMPUR: Cuba and Malaysia should forge deeper partnerships in biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, particularly in producing vaccines, including halal vaccines that would cater to the local demographics, Cuban Ambassador to Malaysia Florentino Batista Gonzalez said.
He said Havana was also looking to Kuala Lumpur's leadership as ASEAN chair next year to help the Latin American country use Malaysia as a launchpad to penetrate Southeast Asian markets, especially for its medical products and services.
Cuba, renowned for its cigars, having exported US$478 million in 2023 with brands such as Habanos, Cohiba, Partagas, and Monte Cristo, which fetch premium prices globally, established diplomatic ties with Malaysia in 1975.
In an interview with Bernama on Monday, he said biotechnology and pharmaceuticals were two sectors with the most potential for greater collaboration, given the difficulties faced during the COVID-19 pandemic in getting vaccines quickly and the successful partnership and experience between both countries in producing halal vaccines for meningitis.
Cuba, he said, has already produced five vaccines for COVID.
Gonzalez said Cuba could tap into Malaysia's technological strength in both sectors following its efforts to produce its own pharmaceutical products, such as vaccines, a move that will enable Kuala Lumpur not to rely on third parties.
"Malaysia has invested heavily over the last 10 years or so, probably more, in building the facilities, training people, and also creating the curriculum in universities to achieve that goal (to produce vaccines), but it is still a goal to attain.
"On that note, we have already passed the peak of the curve, and we think we can be of true help to Malaysia by reducing the cycles, by offering ready-made products that can be taken to the last phase of registration and become a local intellectual property, by transferring technology," he added.
Gonzalez said Malaysia has strong skillset competencies in biotechnology, not only via companies such as Bioeconomy Corporation but also in its universities, to produce medical products and engage in research and development (R&D) and to localise them.
He cited the meningitis vaccine, which was already available in Cuba but was not halal.
Through R&D between Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) and the Finlay Institute of Cuba, a halal vaccine was successfully produced.
"We also have a very successful product being used in Latin America and some countries in Europe that is in the process of registration in the US to treat late-stage diabetic wounds.
"This product is used to treat diabetes ulcers on the feet, to prevent the amputation of patients who are on the fourth stage," Gonzalez said.
Diabetes is a growing problem globally, as well as here in Malaysia. That product not only can be used here but can be fine-tuned into local and specific needs," he added.
Gonzalez stressed that every country, including Malaysia, would need to find its own solutions in managing disease outbreaks and pandemics, for which Cuba stands ready to help.
"That is the kind of capacity that we need to build more so with the World Health Organisation predicting that it's a matter of time before the world could be facing a new pandemic.
"As such, we need to have the capacity to face that (and) the most important thing is how you build and approach these new challenges," he added.
Malaysia's Asean chairmanship
With Malaysia to officially assume the Chair of ASEAN on Jan 1, 2025, Gonzalez said Cuba is looking to Malaysia's leadership in providing the gateway for his country to export to other regional markets.
In the case of medical, pharmaceutical, and medical devices, he said each country was different.
But by cooperating with Malaysia in these areas, it would be a validation of sorts for Cuba to penetrate other regional markets as well.
"In other words, if Cuba can attain a level of mutual homologation in Malaysia, it would be a good starting point in pursuing and expediting the entire process of registration of vaccines and products, as well as commercialisation in all the ASEAN countries going forward.
"Malaysia possesses the kind of leadership and capacity in negotiating 'these kinds of multilateral things' and therefore can be a partner to work with, not only with Cuba, but the rest of the Latin American countries in accessing the ASEAN market," said Gonzalez.
He said bilateral trade was currently small, with Cuba importing rubber, palm oil, electrical and electronic items, as well as other minor technological products.
"That's one of the biggest challenges in bilateral relations, which is turning the goodwill between both countries into a sustainable and long-term economic relationship," he added.