Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi will make a three-day visit to Cuba from Nov 24 for talks with President Fidel Castro, after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Chile, said government officials.

Abdullah's first visit as premier to Cuba since succeeding Dr Mahathir Mohamad who retired in October last year after 22 years in power, was at Castro's invitation, foreign ministry officials said.

He is expected to lay a wreath at the Jose Marti Memorial and tour Cuba's Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, the University of Information Technology Sciences and the "19 de Abril" Polyclinic, they said.

Abdullah will attend the Apec summit in Santiago and make a private visit to Galapagos in west Ecuador before proceeding to Havana.

His delegation includes Plantation, Industries and Commodities Minister Peter Chin Fah Kui, Education Minister Shafie Salleh, Health Minister Chua Soi Lek and Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Joseph Salang Gandum, officials said.