Loide Jason
Otniel Hembapu
Cuban ambassador Sergio Vigoa de la Uz has described Namibia’s support for Cuba’s continued fight against the USA’s economic, financial and commercial blockade against the island nation as consistent, uncompromising and reliable.
The USA’s blockade against Cuba, which has been in place for over 60 years now, has since 1958 prevented American businesses from conducting trade or commerce with Cuba, and has negatively impacted all sectors of the Cuban economy.
Ambassador De la Uz yesterday labelled the ongoing blockade as the most enduring and inhumane trade embargo in modern history – and one that must be fiercely challenged on all diplomatic fronts.
Along with the economic sanctions, the USA has also listed Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism, something that the Cuban ambassador yesterday described as baseless and unacceptable.
“But we will continue with our diplomatic efforts to have the blockade lifted because it has caused immense damage to our economy over the last 60 years. Our efforts continue to pay off at the United Nations’ level, as more and more countries are voting in favour of having the blockade lifted. And of course, we have reliable partners like Namibia, who continue to speak on our behalf wherever they go globally. Namibia has been a consistent, uncompromising and reliable partner for us as Cubans,” said De la Uz.
Last year, the UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly against the USA’s economic and trade blockade, which saw a total of 187 countries voting for a UN resolution to be put forward each year against the embargo.
At last year’s gathering, only the USA itself and Israel voted in favour of the blockade, while Ukraine abstained.
But sustained and growing support in the UN chambers is what keeps De la Uz and the Cuban people hopeful and resolute that the decades-long blockade must be removed by all diplomatic means necessary.
“This year, it will be the same at the UN. Together with our partners like Namibia and hundreds of other countries, we will continue to push for the immediate end to the blockade, and for Cuba to be an economically-free country. I am glad that wherever Namibia goes, be it here in Africa or on the world stage, they will always speak for the people of Cuba and the injustice of the USA against our people. I call on those diplomatic efforts to continue.”
Defender
Meanwhile, International Relations and Cooperation minister Peya Mushelenga defended Namibia’s position on global diplomacy and multilateralism, as well as its role in facilitating crucial international decisions. His comments came in response to remarks by Republican Party (RP) leader Henk Mudge criticising the government and the United Nations over their handling of the ‘Pact of the Future’, adopted at the United Nations (UN) 75th General Assembly.
Speaking at his party’s congress recently, Mudge expressed what he calls concern over the lack of public communication regarding the pact and its implications.
Responding to that, Mushelenga last week used an opportunity at State House during a media briefing to address the matter.
“Particularly when I read remarks by the leader of the RP Henk Mudge, criticising the document and misconstruing it as a legally-binding one, it exposed the limitations in understanding such issues. All over the world, nations are praising Namibia for the role we played as co-facilitators in the process leading to the adoption of this document, which was overwhelmingly supported by UN member states,” he stated.
He emphasised Namibia’s commitment to multilateralism, highlighting that the country’s foreign policy aligns with key concerns of the international community, particularly on issues of peace and security.
“As a small country, we believe in multilateralism because our foreign policy underscores issues raised in the document, like peace and security,” he added.
Genocide
Mushelenga likewise addressed the ongoing crisis in the Middle East, calling on the international community to take decisive action.
“Namibia’s stance on the Middle East crisis is well-known,” he noted.
“The country remains committed to supporting international peace and security, advocating a peaceful resolution to the longstanding Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Since 7 October last year, Israel has been violating international law by displacing Palestinian civilians, and killing women and children. The international community must act swiftly to find a lasting solution,” he said, underscoring Namibia’s longstanding
support for peace in the Middle East.
The minister participated in a high-level emergency session of the UN General Assembly, which focused on the ongoing crisis in Palestine.
In addition to defending Namibia’s role in the UN, Mushelenga shared details of his recent diplomatic engagements, including his attendance at the ministerial Conference on the Commonwealth, and preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
“We are engaging our counterparts to explore further areas of cooperation that will benefit Namibia. Whether it is in terms of trade, security or international relations, our goal is to ensure Namibia continues to make meaningful contributions to global peace and development,” he continued.
-ljason@nepc.com.na