Brussels - The Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Group (ACP) thanked Cuba for its solidarity and cooperation for more than five decades to its member countries, diplomatic sources reported on Thursday.

The statement was made at a meeting in Brussels where the general director of cooperation from the Foreign Ministry, Magalys Estrada, presented the results of Cuba's main programs.

The ACP Group, based in the Belgian capital, acknowledged Cuba's contribution to fight apartheid and the liberation of several peoples from colonial and neocolonial domination, the eradication of illiteracy, and its collaboration in the fields of health and sports, and the mitigation of natural disasters.

During the meeting, participants also assessed new ideas to continue developing assistance among peoples, boosting triangular cooperation as a complement to the efforts made to meet the challenges posed by the fight against poverty and inequality, achieve with the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 Agenda and face climate change.

The ACP Group was founded in June 1975 in Georgetown, Guyana, by 46 States from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.

It currently has 79 member States, including Cuba, which joined the group in 1998.

So far, more than 190,000 Cuban collaborators have rendered their services in the ACP member countries, according to official statistics.

At present, 6,374 Cuban collaborators work in 48 countries of the group and 1,475 students from 74 States benefit from scholarships funded by the Cuban government.