Antigua and Barbuda continues to advocate for US to end embargo against Cuba
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Antigua and Barbuda has once again demonstrated its support for Cuba yesterday, by joining 186 other nations in demanding an end to the United States’ decades-long embargo against the Caribbean island.
The vote, which took place during a meeting of the United Nations, saw only the United States and Israel continuing to oppose the resolution, with the Republic of Moldova abstaining.
The debate came following the aftermath of Hurricane Oscar which exacerbated major power outages across the island and caused the death of six persons.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Aubrey Webson, delivered a powerful address highlighting the “untold stress” the 62-year-old blockade has inflicted on the Cuban people.
Dr Webson emphasised that the embargo has become “the main obstacle to the sustainable development of Cuba” and continues to undermine human rights in the Caribbean nation.
“This unjust blockade of more than six decades has caused untold stress to the people of Cuba and brought about much distress to many families and individuals within her shores,” Dr Webson stated during his presentation to the Assembly.
The Ambassador also called for Cuba’s removal from the US list of state sponsors of terrorism, describing the designation as “unfair and unjust.”
He noted that Antigua and Barbuda supported the position of five UN Human Rights Council mandate holders who have questioned the clarity and transparency of such designations.
Speaking to the broader implications of the embargo, Dr Webson pointed out that the continued restrictions threaten the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, the 2030 agenda, and the recently adopted Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS).
He also highlighted Cuba’s ongoing technical assistance to Antigua and Barbuda and other Caribbean nations in areas such as health, culture, environment, and energy.
He called for both the United States and Cuba to “come together along the table of diplomacy” to resolve their differences and forge a new relationship based on mutual respect.
The resolution, formally titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba,” has been put forward annually since 1992, consistently receiving overwhelming support from the international community.
Meanwhile, the opposition United Progressive Party called on the Government of Antigua and Barbuda to demonstrate its solidarity to Cuba after by providing immediate humanitarian assistance Hurricane Oscar impacted the country just over a week ago.
The government subsequently announced a $100,000 donation to Cuba and called on residents to support the relief efforts by channelling their contributions through the office of Dr Philmore Benjamin.
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