Your Excellency Aleksandr Turchin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Belarus;
Your Excellency Mikhail Mishustin, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation;
Your Excellencies, Heads of Government and Delegations;
Distinguished Guests:
From Havana, Cuba, I extend warm greetings to the Russian people and Government, who are hosting this session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Economic Council, and I thank Belarus, in its capacity as President pro tempore of the Union, for the invitation to participate in this important event, where we reaffirm our commitment to continue strengthening ties with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), its Member States, and Observers.
We cannot be with you in person, as you know, Cuba was recently struck by Hurricane Melissa, which caused significant damage to the National Power Grid, more than 100,000 homes, roads, and 168,193 hectares of various crops in the easternmost provinces of the country. We are still in the recovery phase, in which the Government, its institutions, and the Cuban people have demonstrated their strength and resilience, along with the international solidarity aid for which we are very grateful, including that of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) countries.
I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Governments of the Union for their support, on October 29, of the resolution demanding an end to the U.S. economic, commercial, and financial blockade against Cuba, despite the unprecedented pressure exerted by the current U.S. administration to prevent this outcome.
For the thirty-third time, the United Nations General Assembly, with an overwhelming majority, called for an end to this unjust policy against Cuba.
I also appreciate the statements of rejection of Cuba's inclusion on the spurious list of states that supposedly sponsor terrorism, made by the representatives of the countries that make up the Union and its Observers.
I can confirm that the new measures adopted by the Trump administration since its second term in the White House have been aimed at economically strangling Cuba, including targeting its sources of income, supplies, and particularly fuel.
Despite these adversities, we have continued working tirelessly on our development strategy, with clearly defined pillars that prioritize human development, equity, social justice, and environmental sustainability; as well as on the Government Program to correct distortions and revitalize the economy, with an emphasis on actions aimed at increasing business and foreign investment in key sectors, for which we recently announced a Plan of Measures that incentivizes investors.
During the 4th session of the Joint Commission for cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Commission and the Government of the Republic of Cuba, held recently within the framework of the Havana International Fair, specific lines of action were identified for the development of intensified cooperation within the framework of the Union, among which the following stand out:
- The practical implementation of the logistics hub in Cuba as a bridge to Latin America and the Caribbean.
- The area of health tourism, where our high-quality healthcare services can be combined with tourism potential.
- Food and energy security, fostering investment and technological cooperation.
- Business cooperation that allows for the effective participation of companies from EAEU member states in joint projects in Cuba.
The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is also identified, in which significant progress is being made, primarily regarding regulatory issues and the joint production of vaccines.
To realize the aforementioned potential, it is crucial to advance financial integration to strengthen interbank links and explore payment mechanisms that overcome the barriers of the dollar-dominated international financial system.
The Main Guidelines for Cooperation in the Field of Sport, approved at the Supreme Council meeting held in Minsk in June of this year, represent another opportunity to strengthen our ties. Cuba could contribute to its implementation, particularly in the development of sports industry services, including our experience in sports tourism, sports medicine, and the organization of joint forums and exhibitions.
Your Excellencies:
The history of friendship and cooperation with the Eurasian nations is the strongest foundation for building this strategic partnership and implementing integration as a tool for the development of our countries.
As an Observer State, we are convinced that there is great potential for developing concrete actions at the Union level, aligned with our respective national development objectives and for the benefit of our peoples.
I am confident that together we can demonstrate that a cooperation model prioritizing human development and sovereignty over coercion and economic pressure is possible.
Within the framework of this final Intergovernmental Council of 2025, I extend my best wishes for the well-being and substantial progress of your countries and the Union in the coming year, 2026.
For our part, we will continue working diligently, confident that, through our own efforts and cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), we can make progress in addressing the challenges facing our people today.
