Bridging the gulf

摘要

A historic visit to Cuba by Barack Obama - the first such gesture by a US president for 88 years - reinforces the thaw in relations between the nations. It's no surprise that Obama's wish list included better scientific cooperation. He knows that this has long been a powerful means of bridge building. For instance, the US National Academy of Sciences runs workshops with scientists from Iran, and both governments seem to value this neutral channel of engagement. Similar links have been forged with China, India and Russia - and earlier with the Soviet Union. Science provides a context for dialogue when political tensions hinder other communication. What's more, Cuba has strong capabilities in fields including biotechnology, oceanography, biodiversity, public health and disaster management. Its education system achieved nearly 100 per cent literacy by the 1970s and its higher education and research sectors are impressive for a nation of just over 11 million.