An overwhelming majority of the UN’s 193 member states once again urged Washington to lift the measures – despite a notable shift in countries choosing to abstain or side with the United States.
The resolution – entitled Need to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America on Cuba – was adopted by 165 votes in favor, seven against and twelve abstentions.
Last year, the measure passed by 187 votes to two (the United States and Israel) with just one abstention (Moldova).
Those who voted against this year’s resolution were the United States, Israel, Argentina, Hungary, Paraguay, North Macedonia and Ukraine.
The twelve abstentions came from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, Czechia, Ecuador, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland, Moldova and Romania.
Cuban support for Russian invasion sparks anger
Explaining its decision to abstain, Poland – also speaking on behalf of Czechia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – said it reflected “the selective application of the United Nations Charter“, citing Cuba’s continued support for Russia in its ongoing large-scale invasion of Ukraine, where Cuban nationals reportedly fought alongside Moscow.
Romania echoed these concerns, emphasizing that while it had long supported the resolution, “foreign involvement in an illegal war of aggression is a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter and international law,” calling on Cuba to withdraw its support for the invasion.
Although the resolution remains non-binding, its adoption once again signals the international community’s disapproval of unilateral coercive measures with extraterritorial effects.
The resolution
The text reiterates the Assembly’s long-standing call for all states to reject punitive U.S. legislation such as the 1996 Helms-Burton Act, which Cuba and other countries say violates international law and the United Nations Charter.
The Assembly also highlighted the measures adopted by US President Barack Obama in 2015 and 2016 to modify certain aspects of the embargo, “which contrast with the measures applied since 2017”. [under the first Donald Trump administration] to strengthen its implementation.
By this resolution, the General Assembly also decided once again to include the text of the embargo in the provisional agenda for next year’s session.
Originally published at Almouwatin.com
