Regional countries to send humanitarian aid to Cuba

 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have ended their four-day summit here on Friday agreeing to send humanitarian aid to Cuba, but the exact nature of that assistance has not yet been specified.

In addition, the regional leaders have agreed to establish a three member committee that will reframe the relationship between the United States and the Caribbean.

Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew, who is also the CARICOM chairman, told the end of summit news conference that the situation in Cuba had been discussed and that CARICOM has issued a statement on the matter.

”The matter of the challenging situation in Cuba was also discussed.  All parties recognised that there should be efforts to address the growing humanitarian crisis. The Caribbean Community, cognisant of its very close relationship with both Cuba and the USA, and mindful of the extent to which the region can be negatively affected, is willing to participate in any way that will redound to the benefit of the Cuban people, while maintaining regional stability,” Drew said, quoting from the statement.

“I can go on further to say that the Community has taken the decision as well to support humanitarian efforts in Cuba,”  he said, telling reporters that the exact nature of that assistance is yet to be quantified.

“We are going to respond on the humanitarian end within a month…we are going t respond in a significant way,”  Drew said, telling told reporters that “all parties recognise this”  and during the meeting with US Secretary of  State, Marco  Rubio, “all parties recognise that there should be efforts to address the growing humanitarian crisis”

Since January, the Donald Trump administration has sought to cut off the oil supplies that power Cuba’s energy grid and other critical infrastructure.

The US Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has said that economic reforms could offer the Cuban government a path to easing US pressure. But Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who moved to the United States in 1956, declined to spell out specific conditions but suggested the regime must allow Cubans greater economic freedom , not just political reforms, if it wants relief from Washington’s tightening grip.

Drew told reporters that “this was a conference of action” and that the regional leaders had spent a considerable amount of time “dealing with the most critical issues affecting the community.

“And as a result of that, you will see the number of outcomes that would have a positive impact on the Community and our people within this region,”  he said.

He said that the CARICOM appointed Eminent Persons Group (EPG), chaired by the former St. Lucia prime minister, Dr. Kenny Anthony, had submitted a report on the status of the recent political developments in Haiti and on the security and humanitarian situation.

He said that the EPG members expressed their “deep appreciation” to the government of Kenya for its “unhesitating willingness to take on leadership of the Multinational Security Support (MSS) mission, which has now transitioned to the Gang Suppression Force (GSF)” authorised by the United Nations Security  Council.

“They commended the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) for their wise and strategic facilitatory role under CARICOM’s Good Offices support to Haiti,”  Drew said, adding that the regional leaders “reiterated CARICOM’s firm commitment to the restoration of peace and stability in Haiti and expressed support for the framework for improving security and holding of elections put forward by the Prime Minister of Haiti”.

Drew said with regards to the Cooperation Framework with the United States that would repurpose the relationship  between the two parties,  “is one of the things that was discussed with the Secretary of State, and …we are now in the initial stages”.

He said CARICOM will establish a team of three before holding discussions with the United States “to really flesh out what this framework would look like in look like”.

Prime Minister Drew described this development as “significant…in terms of creating that framework to move forward at this particular time, to ensure that the strong relationship that exists between the United States and continues”.

Drew had said that Rubio in his  deliberations with the regional leaders had “noted his administration’s objective of reinvigorating traditional relationships in the Western Hemisphere, as both share common opportunities and challenges.

“He observed that there is already a longstanding partnership between the US and CARICOM states in responding to shared challenges,”  he added.

The CARICOM  chairman said  that the summit had also discussed an update on the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) allowing for the free movement of goods, skills, labour and services.

Heads of government approved recommendations for the inclusion of approved categories of aviation personnel, namely aircraft maintenance engineers, professional pilots, air traffic controllers, flight operations officers and the additional professions, in the category of Aviation Personnel.

He said Barbados, Belize, Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines reported that free movement among themselves successfully commenced on 1 October 2025, “and that they continue to strengthen the necessary administrative, legislative and institutional frameworks identified”.

He said on the issue of reparations, the regional leaders requested the Prime Ministerial Sub-Committee (PMSC) on Reparations to review and advise on the revised “CARICOM Ten-Point Plan for Reparations: A Manifesto”, as well as on priority activities for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) scheduled for Antigua and Barbuda in November, and other strategic Meetings, in 2026.

On the issue of regional security, the leaders commended the High-Level Representative on Law and Criminal Justice on his fourth report on regional security, noting “the progress made on drafting model legislation and policy papers on criminal justice and legislative reform.

“They welcomed the offer from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to work with CARICOM to expand and implement a Police Record Management Information System (PRMIS).”

CARICOM leaders also  agreed to establish a committee comprising Barbados Prime Minister Mia  Mottley, her Dominican counterpart, Roosevelt Skerrit, the Jamaican leader Andrew Holness and Guyana’s  President, Irfaan Ali, President, Guyana to review the governance and financing of the Community.

Regarding the ongoing border disputes involving Guatemala-Belize and Belize–Honduras, the leaders received an update on the matters before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and “commended the parties for seeking a peaceful resolution to all legal claims against Belize’s land and insular territories and any maritime areas pertaining to those territories”.

They called on all parties to abide by and implement the ICJ decisions when delivered, reaffirming their “steadfast support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Belize”.

Prime Minister Drew said in the Guyana-Venezuela border dispute, which is also before the ICJ, the leaders received an update on the latest developments and “reaffirmed their full support for the ongoing judicial process as the means for resolving the controversy peacefully, finally and in accordance with international law, and reiterated their unequivocal and unwavering support for the maintenance of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana”. (CMC)

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