TeleSUR
The UN General Assembly inaugurated on Tuesday its cycle of debates on the impact of the US embargo on Cuba. Dozens of countries repudiate the criminal blockade and demand its immediate cessation.
This session marks the thirty-second time that the organization evaluates the blockade policy, highlighting its economic impact, estimated at more than five billion dollars in the last year alone.
Numerous countries have reaffirmed their position in rejection of this measure which, in the words of several leaders, continuously affects more than 80% of the Cuban population.
Representatives of different countries and international organizations, including the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), the Community of the Caribbean (Caricom), among others, expressed their support for lifting the embargo.
Grenada – Caribbean Community
The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), represented by the delegation of Grenada, reaffirmed its firm support for the UN resolution that calls for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba.
In his speech, he stressed that “illicit measures still lack legitimate justification” and that their imposition “undermines the principles of multilateralism” and “violates international law”, reiterating the importance of the principles of sovereignty and non-interference, fundamental in the UN Charter.
Grenada also emphasized that the blockade has had “debilitating consequences” for the Cuban people, expressing concern about the impact that these restrictions have had on the daily lives of Cubans and mentioned the collapse of the island’s electrical system as an “example of the lingering consequences of the embargo.”
The statement concluded with a call for the United States to “listen to the calls of the international community” and restore friendly relations with Cuba, promoting an environment of peace in the Caribbean region.
Chad – African Group
The permanent representative to the UN of Chad on behalf of the African Group stated that they are concerned about the unfair inclusion of the United States in including Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
In his speech, he reiterated his call to end the US blockade against Cuba, a measure that they consider an obstacle to the sustainable development of the country and to the 2030 Agenda. In addition, they expressed concern about the application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act. .
The group also highlighted Cuba’s historic contributions to Africa and other nations, particularly in areas of health and education.
Finally, they called on the United States to reestablish positive relations with Cuba and lift the blockade, reaffirming their “total solidarity with the Cuban people and government.”
Iraq – G77 + China
The representative to the United Nations of Iraq, representing the Group of 77 and China, expressed his concern about the US embargo and denounced that “the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for more than 60 years continues fully current”.
The organization regretted that these policies have been reinforced in recent years, which hinders the normalization of relations between both countries and harms the well-being of the Cuban population, especially in sectors such as health, food and finance.
In addition, the group condemned the extraterritorial application of the blockade through Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, calling it an “evident transgression of the freedom of trade between nations.” They pointed out that this regulation not only restricts Cuba’s transactions with third countries, but also damages the island’s international reputation.
They also urged that the United States remove Cuba from its list of alleged sponsors of terrorism, arguing that such inclusion is unfounded and has hindered the nation’s international banking transactions.
Finally, the G77 and China reaffirmed their commitment to UN principles, particularly “sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of States” and called on the international community to redouble efforts and demand the lifting of a blockage that, they consider, it is “urgent and necessary” to eliminate.
Cameroon – Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Representing the OIC, Cameroon emphasized that the blockade is incompatible with the principles of the United Nations Charter and violates the socioeconomic rights of Cuba, underlining the negative impact of the embargo, which remains in force after six decades.
The representative of the African country added that this measure not only affects Cuba’s trade and economy, but also brings with it “serious humanitarian consequences”, undermining the well-being of the Cuban population and making foreign investment difficult.
Furthermore, he stressed that the embargo goes against the spirit of past resolutions adopted in the Assembly, which call for its lifting.
He also addressed the extraterritorial effect of the embargo, which prevents other countries from maintaining trade and investment relations with Cuba. Along these lines, the Cameroonian representative pointed out that “the blockade exponentially increases the island’s financial difficulties,” especially after its inclusion on the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
Finally, he noted that the OIC expressed “deep concern” about the additional restrictions derived from this classification, which further limit Cuba’s access to the global economy.
Singapore – Association of Southeast Asian Nations
Meanwhile, the delegate from Singapore spoke on behalf of ASEAN and expressed his firm support for draft resolution A/79/L.6, which seeks to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo of the United States against Cuba.
In its intervention, ASEAN highlighted that, since 1992, the General Assembly has adopted resolutions in this regard with the majority support of Member States, reflecting “the commitment of the international community to the principles of sovereign equality, non-intervention and peaceful resolution of disputes” and underlined the “devastating” impact of the embargo.
In this sense, ASEAN called on the United States to “lift the unilateral embargo” and remove Cuba from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. They urged both countries to reestablish diplomatic relations and promote a constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and cooperation, in order to improve the quality of life of Cuban citizens and allow Cuba to advance its sustainable development and climate resilience capacity.
Honduras – Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), represented by Honduras, expressed its support for Cuba, and stressed that “the United States sanctions policy hinders Cuban development and harms the well-being of its population.” Actions that contradict the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, in addition to violating the peace and cooperation promoted by the people of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through its representative, CELAC also expressed its rejection of the Helms-Burton Act and the extraterritorial implications of the embargo, which limit Cuba’s ability to trade and access international financing. In addition, he questioned the inclusion of Cuba on the list of countries that sponsor terrorism.
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