Namibia has lauded the government of the United States of America for the removal of Cuba from the list of Not Fully Cooperating Countries (NFCC).
The US Department of State removed the Republic of Cuba from the NFCC list after changes in circumstances, particularly after the resumption of law-enforcement cooperation between the US and the Republic of Cuba.
Executive director in the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (Mirco) ambassador Penda Naanda, in a media statement said Namibia takes cognisance of this step by the US government.
He said Cuba was initially placed on the NFCC list in 2020 after it refused to collaborate with the government of Colombia on extradition requests related
to members of the National Liberation Army, a designated terrorist organisation. International media reported that the Cuban government did not formally respond to the extradition requests for the National Liberation Army leaders filed by Colombia after the group claimed responsibility for the 2019 bombing of a Bogotá police academy that killed 22 people and injured 87 others.
However, despite the recent developments, Cuba remains on the State Sponsors of Terrorism (SST) list, which Naanda described as unjustified, saying it has led to continued negative effects on Cuba, its people and its economy.
“The US government is reminded of the hardship faced by the Cuban people, emanating from the unjust placement of Cuba on the SST list. The Cuban people continue to suffer exclusion from international aid and trade, owing to the country’s continuous status quo on the SST list,” he stated.
Naanda further lauded the efforts of the US government and other governments on combating terrorism in the region and worldwide, while reiterating Namibia’s long-standing call on the US government to remove the unilateral placement of the Republic of Cuba on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, stating that it does not reflect the truth.
– Nampa