Cubaminrex: Which have been the main breakthroughs achieved in the relations between Cuba and the Pacific Islands?
Alberto Blanco Silva : I wish to highlight that geographical distance and the cultural and linguistic differences have not hindered the progress of cooperation between Cuba and the Pacific Islands, which has actually become a good example of South-South cooperation.
At present Cuba has diplomatic relations with the fourteen small island states of the South Pacific and in May 2017 we opened our diplomatic mission in Suva, Fiji, with concurrent accreditation to eleven Pacific Islands; this underlines Cuba’s renewed commitment to the South Pacific. ver the last four years, Cuba has been honored by the visits of heads of state and government from the Pacific Islands. Moreover, in the first semester of this year we received in our country the health ministers of Palau and Nauru, which helped identify new cooperation possibilities.
Additionally, we have medical brigades in Kiribati and Vanuatu, and we are sending a new medical brigade to Nauru in response to the request made by the Nauruan government. We are pleased to inform that 101 young Pacific Islanders are being trained in Cuban universities, and 153 have already graduated in Cuba in recent years, including 151 that graduated from medicine. Once again we have demonstrated the spirit of solidarity that characterizes our noble and generous people, particularly in our relations with small island states.
I seize this opportunity to mention that we want to make progress with regards to the treatment of diabetes, which is highly prevalent in the South Pacific, by using the well-known, effective, and unique Cuban medicine Heberprot-P.
Together with the vast majority of the international community, all the small island states of the South Pacific, with one voice and without a single exception, are voting as a unified group for the lifting of the unjust economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba, which implies defending a small island state’s right to development.
Cubaminrex: Can you mention the elements and challenges that Cuba and the Pacific Islands have in common?
ABS: We actually have many aspects in common: we are small island states facing the challenges posed by climate change, and the unjust and unequal world in which we are supposed to develop; these circumstances are worsened by the fact that the major world power is strengthening protectionism and has forsaken cooperation and understanding as the possible solutions to the most pressing problems affecting human kind.
Cuba has raised its voice more than once to defend the rights of developing countries, in particular of small island states, which run the risk of being buried underwater as a result of climate change.
The thoughts of Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz have become a topical referent in this regard. Fidel Castro, with his usual foresight, being aware of the impact of human activity on our planet, and worried about its negative effects, envisioned that “the world lives between two tragedies — that of the war and of the environment,” and in such circumstances “(…) we shall fight for our future, we shall fight for our truth, which is that our peoples, our children and our grandchildren also have the right to life!”
Cuba defends the adherence to the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, which implies that developed countries should take the leadership of global efforts aimed at mitigating climate change, and provide the funding, technologies, and means of implementation needed by developing countries, especially small island states, to carry out adaptation and mitigation actions.
It is alarming to find out that some small island states of the South Pacific are facing the actual danger of disappearing because of the sea level rise brought about by climate change.
Cuba has approved a state plan to cope with the effects of climate change known as “Tarea Vida”; this is an ambitious strategy to deal with vulnerabilities and enhance our resilience to extreme weather events, sea level rise, the shortage of drinking water, and seawater intrusion, among others, as well as to promote the development of renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable development. We want to share this strategy with the small island states of the South Pacific, which cannot and should not be put aside.
We are driven by our desire to continue finding ways to establish triangular cooperation with New Zealand, Australia, and other international actors that may be interested, for the benefit of the South Pacific Islands.
Cubaminrex: How did Cuba attain its current status of Dialogue Partner of the Pacific Islands Forum?
ABS: In 2012 we submitted our request to be granted the status of Dialogue Partner of the major regional organization in Oceania; this is the highest status out-of-the-region actors can aspire to. One year after the 44th Pacific Islands Forum, held in Marshall Islands, Cuba’s incorporation as a Dialogue Partner was approved by the 18 full members of this organization.
This was an expression of their trust in Cuba, and its selflessness and generosity, evidenced by the cooperation Cuba has been offering to the Pacific Islands, mainly in the areas of health care and human resources training.
Our integration into the Forum has provided us with a space for exchange and cooperation with a region that is both very distant and very close, as well as for debate and the harmonization of positions on international agenda items of common interest.
As a concrete example of the high priority assigned by Cuban diplomacy to this mechanism, the Cuban delegation participating in the 49th Pacific Islands Forum, to be held in Nauru from 3 to 6 September, will be headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Rogelio Sierra Díaz. This is an occasion that will allow Cuba to reiterate its will to develop friendly and cooperative relations with all the small island states of the Pacific, and to support the launching of the so-called “Vision 2050” by our dear friend Baron Waqa, President of Nauru.
The small island states of the South Pacific will always count on the deep-felt friendship, the esteem and the full support of their Cuban brothers. (Cubaminrex)