Saint John, Antigua and Barbuda.— "Cuba and Dominica have worked hard to maintain the highest level of relations and we ratify the decision to continue doing so in all aspects of bilateral collaboration and increase it," said yesterday the Vice President of the Republic, Salvador Valdés Mesa, to the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Dominica, Roosevelt Skerrit.
In a bilateral meeting, in the context of the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Valdés Mesa conveyed to the Caribbean friend "the warmest greetings of President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez".
He expressed the greatest gratitude for Dominica's permanent support to the UN resolution against the U.S. economic blockade, as well as for its position in favor of Cuba's exclusion from the list of States that allegedly sponsor terrorism.
He also expressed his gratitude for the solidarity support in food and other resources sent by that nation to the largest of the Antilles.
We are here to reiterate our solidarity with the Revolution and the Cuban people, because -emphasized Roosevelt Skerrit- "our solidarity with Cuba is unwavering", and added that "the U.S. actions against the Revolution and the Cuban people are unjust and totally inhumane.
"To accuse Cuba of being a State sponsor of terrorism -he said- is unthinkable; on the contrary, the history of the Revolution is the history of support to the peoples, of help to the countries that need it, as in the Caribbean, whose Health system is completely supported by the human resources shared and formed by Cuba.
LONG-STANDING TIES, WITH POSSIBILITIES FOR GROWTH
The blockade is the main obstacle for the food security of the Cuban people, denounced Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa, while talking with U.S. diplomat Cindy McCain, executive director of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP).
He explained that, for more than six decades, the island has been a victim of the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the U.S. government, and as of 2019 - he recalled, regarding the 242 measures adopted by the Trump administration to tighten it - we have had many more difficulties to carry out financial transactions and buy food.
The Executive Director of the WFP expressed that this UN entity feels very grateful for the long-standing partnership it has with Cuba, while exposing the willingness to continue developing cooperation, so it will seek to continue extending it.
McCain described as very positive the island's initiatives over the decades to guarantee food for its people, especially children, adolescents and young people.
She commented that the links with the entity should not only focus on the food issue, but also on others, such as those related to climate change.
The Cuban Vice President recalled that Cuba's ties with the United Nations agency date back to 1963, when "we received assistance during Cyclone Flora, which means that relations have been maintained for more than 60 years".
Valdés Mesa praised the support of the WFP in the current context, when the intensified blockade has been affecting the standard of living of the Cuban population, and thanked the Executive Director of the WFP for the help received to mitigate the damages caused by Hurricane Ian, in September 2022, in the west of the country, and also for the contribution during Covid-19, not only in food, but also with the donation of equipment to guarantee the cold chain in the distribution of vaccines.
