London 13 August. The Cuban Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ismara Vargas Walter, visited the headquarters of the International Coffee Organisation (ICO), where she was received by the executive director, Vanúsia Nogueira.
The Cuban diplomat spoke about the Cuban tradition of coffee cultivation and the development of the coffee industry. She also explained the difficulties faced by the sector, caused, on the one hand, by the negative impact of natural disasters due to climate change, and on the other, by the accumulated effects of the blockade and Cuba's inclusion on the list of state sponsors of terrorism.
She also explained the economic and humanitarian cost to the country of being part of this unilateral list and the international actions being carried out to achieve Cuba's removal from it.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Cuba's interest in continuing to work together with the ICO, and confirmed Cuba will sign the new International Coffee Agreement during the next session of the Coffee Council on 12 September 2024.
The Ambassador was accompanied on her visit by the Counsellor for Economic and Trade Affairs, Marta Castillo González.