CubaPLUS Magazine

The Secretariat of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) will continue to diligently manage the regional bloc's priorities of deepening economic integration and trade, an authority asserted in statements released today. In an end-of-year message, the organization’s general secretary, Carla Barnett, stated that as we enter 2024 the entity will also aim to strengthen the coordination of foreign policy and community relations and human and social development, sustainable development and security.

Caricom and Cuba reach 51 years of fraternal relations CubaPLUS The Caribbean Community (Caricom) and Cuba today reach 51 years since the establishment of their ties, further strengthened by the solidarity cooperation of the largest of the Antilles and the support of the bloc in the international arena. Both parties celebrate the decision of Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica to establish diplomatic relations with Havana in 1972 and break the hostile isolation that that government faced after its revolutionary triumph in 1959. Such a gesture paved the way for the remaining Caribbean territories to develop ties of friendship and collaboration with that sister nation and later, in 2002, led to the implementation of the mechanism of the Caricom-Cuba summits. Precisely at that meeting, the heads of State and Government of the integrationist bloc and Cuba agreed to establish this date to celebrate the beginning of their ties, considered a reference for other integrationist projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. These meetings are held every three years to examine and expand cooperation and integration projects in fields such as education, health, energy and trade, among others. During its five decades of ties, Cuba provided scholarships, technical aid, personnel and medical assistance in situations of natural disasters free of charge and a large number of its collaborators provided services in Caricom states. One of the most significant examples of their solidarity was the deployment of more than 1,200 doctors in Haiti to combat the cholera epidemic that hit that Antillean nation in 2010, resulting in thousands of deaths and infections. For its part, the Caribbean group demands in all international events the immediate cessation of the financial, commercial and economic blockade that the United States has maintained against the Island for more than half a century. The eighth Caricom-Cuba summit took place last year in Barbados, and was another opportunity where the objectives were outlined to expand cooperation programs and strengthen ties of brotherhood. The final text of the meeting highlighted, among several issues, that the partnership between the parties is an exemplary model of fruitful and mutually beneficial South-South cooperation. In addition, October 6 was declared Caricom-Cuba Day against terrorism, in memory of the 73 victims of the bombing of a Cubana de Aviación ship in the waters of Barbados, on that date in 1976. The ninth edition of the summit will be in Cuba in 2025.

Cuba reiterated its willingness to continue expanding the ties of friendship with the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, on the 49th anniversary of diplomatic relations on Thursday, the Cuban Foreign Ministry noted.

Carla Barnett, Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), extended on Friday her warmest congratulations to the Government and people of Suriname as they celebrate the 48th anniversary of their independence on November 25.

The CubaPLUS/CARICOM and CubaPLUS/Guyana magazines have been pleasantly received by professionals and the general public attending the GuyExpo 2023 fair that ends this Sunday at the Sophia Exhibition Complex in Georgetown, as they consider them extremely important to know the work of the countries of the region in different areas of economic and social life.

Trinidad and Tobago will continue to be present in Cuba, where it already has several institutions and will even continue to participate every year in the International Fair of Havana (FIHAV)

Cuba is the closest to CARICOM and all the countries that are part of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS) playing the role of bringing CARICOM closer to the rest of nations through the AEC, considered the Secretary General of the organization, Rodolfo Sabonge.

For Cuba, relations with the CARICOM (Caribbean Community) countries are a priority…and this event (FIHAV 2023) cements the foundations for the development of new exchanges with other sister nations of the Caribbean, considered the first vice minister of the Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex), Ana Teresita González Fraga.

Topics such as building inclusive and sustainable economies, increasing trade and investment, including climate change and its impact on the Caribbean will be addressed starting today in the first summit meeting between Canada and the CARICOM countries.

Las Naciones Unidas celebran el 25 de noviembre el Día Internacional de la Eliminación de la Violencia contra la Mujer, con un apremiante llamado a poner fin a este viejo, y actual, fenómeno que afecta a buena parte de la humanidad.