STATEMENT BY THE ORGANISATION OF EASTERN CARIBBEAN STATES (OECS) ON THE RECENT ESCALATION OF UNITED STATES ACTION TOWARD THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA
OECS Media Statement
The Authority of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) meeting virtually at its Sixty-Ninth Session on June 18, 2020:
NOTING the renewed intensification of sanctions by the United States Government through its decision to certify the Republic of Cuba under Section 40A(a) of the Arms Export Control Act as “not cooperating fully” with the United States counterterrorism efforts in 2019.
NOTING ALSO that this decision contravenes the United Nations’ call on the United States to provide sanctions relief to nations reeling from the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic;
CONCERNED that certification of Cuba as “not cooperating fully” will cause United States internal systems and agencies to frustrate and to block Cuba’s access to economic assistance including multilateral aid and loans from external and international bodies, as well as membership of multilateral organisations;
CONCERNED ALSO that this decision by the United States to blacklist Cuba constitutes further strengthening of the economic and financial sanctions against the country; and that the “non-cooperative” designation will serve as a deterrent to commercial banks and international companies doing business with Cuba;
CONCERNED FURTHER that the blacklisting of Cuba by the United States constitutes continued erosion of the progress that had been achieved in recent years in relations between the two countries; and that the action undermines the stability, peace and security of the Caribbean region;
CONVINCED that these measures are unwarranted and will only serve to cause great human suffering in Cuba;
CONDEMNS strongly, the recent certification of Cuba by the United States Government as “not cooperating fully” with the United States counterterrorism efforts; and
CALLS for the lifting of these and other unwarranted sanctions, including the long standing economic, commercial and financial embargo which has brought great suffering to the people of Cuba.
