Volume 54 Number 26, October 20, 2024 | ARCHIVE | HOME | JBCENTRE | SUBSCRIBE |
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Mass Rally in Havana in Defence of the Revolution,
2021
Cuba's Report under United Nations General Assembly resolution 78/7 entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba" of July, 2024, continues Cuba's annual effort to document the impact of the US blockade, which has been in place for over six decades, and calls for the international community to support its immediate end.
The document outlines the extensive damages caused by the blockade, particularly in the areas of:
" Economy: The blockade has cost Cuba billions of dollars in lost revenue and trade opportunities. Cuba's access to international markets and financing is severely restricted, exacerbating poverty and limiting development.
" Healthcare and Medicine: The embargo prevents Cuba from acquiring essential medical supplies, equipment, and medicines, especially those produced by or involving US companies. This has had a devastating impact on the health sector, particularly during global crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.
" Education and Science: Cuba faces significant obstacles in obtaining educational resources and scientific equipment. The blockade also restricts academic collaboration between Cuba and other nations, particularly the US.
" Humanitarian and Human Rights Impact: The report highlights the humanitarian consequences of the blockade on the Cuban people, emphasising that it violates their basic human rights, including the right to development, health, and a decent standard of living.
The inclusion of Cuba in the US State Sponsors of Terrorism List is particularly condemned in the report, as it intensifies the economic pressure and worsens the blockade's effects.
Cuba's government reaffirms its commitment to peaceful engagement and reiterates that the blockade, an outdated and hostile policy, violates international law and the UN Charter. It also emphasises the overwhelming global support for ending the blockade, as reflected by the United Nations General Assembly's near-unanimous votes in favour of previous resolutions.
The report urges the international community to continue supporting Cuba's call for the US to lift the blockade unconditionally, as it is a major obstacle to the country's development and global integration.
The US blockade against Cuba continues to harm the Cuban people, and the re-inclusion of Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism List (SSTL) only adds to this injustice. This label is not only unfounded but is being used to intensify the economic pressure on the island, deepening the hardships for millions of ordinary Cubans.
Now more than ever, it is essential for all democratic forces to unite in calling for an end to both the blockade and Cuba's wrongful designation.