Eleven former Caribbean heads of government have joined together to call for an end to the United States’ long-standing economic embargo against Cuba. They are urging countries around the world to support a United Nations General Assembly resolution scheduled for a vote on Wednesday, October.
The appeal comes ahead of the vote at the United Nations, where member states are expected to weigh in on the embargo, which has been in place for decades and has been the subject of repeated annual resolutions calling for its removal. The former leaders are presenting their call as a regional position, drawing on the long-standing ties between Caribbean nations and Cuba, and on the view that the measures weigh heavily on ordinary people.
The Caribbean has a deep history of solidarity with Cuba, and many governments in the region have consistently opposed the embargo at the United Nations. By speaking out as a group of former leaders rather than as serving governments, the signatories are seeking to add weight to the resolution and to encourage countries that have not yet committed to support it to do so before the vote.
For Dominica, the appeal is one of several regional voices seeking a united Caribbean stance on the issue at the United Nations. Further details of the vote, including the wording of the resolution and the expected outcome, will be reported as the General Assembly session proceeds.
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