Fidel Castro, the true friend of Africa [Photos]

Fidel Castro was born on August 13, 1926. The late Castro, who was Cuba’s 15th president, was revered for embracing Communism, which put him at odds with the American government.

His contributions and assistance to some African countries during their fight against imperialism cannot be overestimated. According to the 2015 book, entitled “Cubans in Angola,” Castro acknowledged the link between Cuba and Africa, which stretched back to the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade.

As a Caribbean nation, Cuba was host to 1 million African slaves.

RELATED STORIES

The real heroes of modern-day African postal services risked their lives delivering letters by running in the 1800s

This black-only town in America was founded in 1867 by former slaves who fought in the civil war

Why Kenya’s first president left his white wife in England when he returned home in 1946

The killer of this barber was freed in 1851 because a U.S. jury failed to tell if he was white or black

With this background, Castro did not hesitate to assist Africa with military and medical support when it sought his help during the 1960s and 1970s for independence.

To celebrate this iconic revolutionary’s legacy, Face2Face Africa shares with you some photos of him with some iconic African leaders. Take a look at them below:

Castro with ex-President of Nigeria Olusegun Obasanjo

Castro with ex-President of Lybia Muammar Al Gathafi

Castro with ex-President of Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara

Castro with ex-President of Burkina Faso Blaise Compaoré

Castro with Amílcar Cabral

Castro with ex-President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki

Ex-president of Angola Jose Eduardo dos Santos (left) and former Cuban president (right), the late Fidel Castro in the 1980s. Photo Credit: AFP

Castro with Nelson Mandela

Castro with Kwame Nkrumah

Castro with ex-President of Tanzania Julius Nyerere

Castro with ex-President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe

Castro with Thomas Sankara

Fidel Castro with Samora Machel

Castro with ex-President of Ghana JJ Rawlings