Yaren, March 20, 2026. - During his official visit to Nauru, Cuban Ambassador Nestor Enrique Torres Olivera was received by the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Hon. Delvin Thoma. The two officials held a cordial meeting to review the status of bilateral ties, cooperation across various sectors, and the mutual support shared within international organizations.
Both parties emphasized the importance of further strengthening their friendship and expanding technical cooperation, particularly in critical areas such as healthcare and human resource development. They also looked forward to the upcoming 24th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Nauru, to be commemorated this May.
The Cuban Ambassador reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to supporting Nauru and other Pacific nations in their climate change adaptation and regional development efforts. He highlighted Cuba’s role as a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) since 2013.
Furthermore, Torres Olivera briefed the Minister on the complex challenges facing the Caribbean nation due to the blockade, now exacerbated by President Donald Trump’s recent executive order threatening tariffs on oil-supplying countries. He described these measures as a deliberate attempt to stifle energy production and cripple the Cuban economy. He called upon the international community to speak out against this unprecedented aggression, which severely impacts the Cuban people, specifically the healthcare and food industries.
In response, Minister Delvin Thoma expressed Nauru's commitment to ongoing healthcare collaboration and conveyed his gratitude for the Cuban scholarship program, which has trained Nauruan doctors now serving in the local public system. Finally, he reaffirmed Nauru's solidarity with Cuba, confirming its support against the blockade by voting in favor of the Cuban resolution at the UN General Assembly—a motion supported by the vast majority of member states for 33 consecutive years.
(EmbacubaFiyi)