Havana - The Council of Ministers of Cuba, in a meeting chaired by President Raul Castro, approved the comprehensive policy for the improvement of Information and Communication Technologies of Cuban society, the newspaper Granma reported today.

According to the newspaper, the second head of the Permanent Commission for the Implementation and Development of the Guidelines for Economic and Social Policy, Leonardo Andollo, said that various actions have been taken to organize and integrate the country's ICT or Information and Communication Technology.

'However, it requires a comprehensive policy that, in addition to organizing, prioritizes Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) as a strategic sector for the nation that contributes to the growth of the economy with the consequent impact on the development of society,' he stated.

The need to turn ICT into a weapon for the defense of the Revolution that guarantees the security of cyberspace against threats, risks, and attacks of all kinds is among the fundamental principles of this policy.

Likewise, the imperative was to preserve associated human capital and enhance the access of citizens to the use of new technologies.

On the other hand, in this meeting of the Executive Cabinet, the policies for the improvement of the system of standardization, metrology, quality, and accreditation were approved, in order to raise levels of efficiency and competitiveness in all spheres of the economy.

Food safety was another topic addressed at this meeting, and the policy adopted in this area seeks to update the constitutional, legal and regulatory framework of the National Food Control System, applicable to all elements of the food chain.

Plans to continue the study of ninth-grade graduates to Vocational Technical Education, as well as to enter higher education in 2017-2018 were also addressed.

The process of registration of state properties in the Property Registry was also discussed, and they emphasized the need to maintain the updating and real estate ordering of state assets.