During a visit to Havana on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 January, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini affirmed the EU’s support for the reform process in Cuba that goes in the opposite direction of the recent measures taken by the US administration of Donald Trump to isolate the island, which has been subject to a US imposed embargo since 1962.
During a meeting with teachers and students in Havana on Wednesday, Mogherini described the US embargo against Cuba as "obsolete and illegal”. These restrictions have been toughened up since Donald Trump's arrival in power, who has taken a step backwards compared to the approach adopted by his predecessor, Barack Obama, to normalise relations with the island.
“The embargo is not a solution. We Europeans have informed our American friends of this on numerous occasions and we have asserted this to the UN. The only effect of the embargo is to make the quality of life for women, men and children worse on the island", Mogherini deplored.
She criticised the recent US sanctions against European citizens and companies for trading with the island and insisted that “we cannot accept unilateral measures that prevent or encroach on our economic and trade relations with Cuba”.
“I know very well that right now some are trying to isolate Cuba. We Europeans want to show on the contrary that we are closer than ever to you – that Cuba and Cubans have not been left and won’t be left alone. In response to those who build walls and shut doors, we Europeans want to build bridges and open doors through cooperation and dialogue”, Mogherini stated.
Her trip to Havana sought to prepare the comprehensive application of the bilateral agreement on political dialogue and cooperation that was informally adopted on 1 November 2017, whilst awaiting ratification by the national parliaments of the EU (see EUROPE 11895).
To this end, Mogherini held meetings with Cuba's Minister for External Trade and Foreign Investment Rodrigo Malmierca. On Thursday she was due to meet the president of the Cuban Parliament, Esteban Lazo, and the Cuba's Minister for Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez.
On Wednesday, the high representative provided assurances that the cooperation agreement between the EU and Cuba would be “a solid instrument for more support towards economic and social modernisation of Cuba".
The EU is Cuba's second biggest trading partner after China, with trade worth around US $ 2.4 billion in 2016. The EU is also the biggest foreign investor in Cuba, in areas such as tourism and the agri-food industry.
The EU high representative also asserted that the two parties were working towards the formalisation of their dialogue on human rights that began in 2015. On Wednesday, she provided assurances that “although there are some differences in our respective visions, the openness and willingness to dialogue are always present within mutual respect”. (Original version in French by Emmanuel Hagry)