The General Assembly votes on a draft resolution calling for an end to the US embargo against Cuba. The UN General Assembly once again called for an end to the US embargo against Cuba Peace and Security
The UN General Assembly on Wednesday adopted for the 33rd time a resolution calling on the United States to end the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. The document was approved by a majority of votes: 165 countries were in favor, 7 were against, and 12 abstained.
Argentina, Hungary, Israel, North Macedonia, Paraguay, Ukraine and the USA voted against. Among those who abstained were Albania, Armenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Poland and Romania.
Resolutions with similar content have been adopted by the General Assembly annually since 1992. Then the document was supported by 59 states, and in 2017 – already 191. Last year, 187 countries voted for the resolution, two were against (the USA and Israel), and one abstained (Moldova).
Poland, also speaking on behalf of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, explained its decision to abstain from the vote by saying it reflected a “selective application of the UN Charter.” The Polish representative cited Cuba’s continued support for Russia amid its full-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory, noting reports of Cuban citizens participating on the side of Russian forces.
Romania said it traditionally supported the resolution, but “foreign participation in an illegal war of aggression is a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and international law” and called on Cuba to withdraw its support invasion.
Although the resolution is non-binding, its adoption again reflects widespread international disapproval of unilateral coercive measures. The General Assembly decided to reintroduce the issue of the US embargo against Cuba to the provisional agenda of the next session.
The document reiterates its call on all States to refrain from applying punitive laws with extraterritorial effect, such as the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, which, according to Cuba and several countries, is contrary to international law and the Charter UN.
The General Assembly also noted steps taken by President Barack Obama’s administration in 2015-2016 to ease aspects of the embargo, “which contrast with steps taken since 2017 [under Donald Trump’s first administration] to strengthen it.” In 2016, for the first time, the United States did not vote against a draft resolution, but abstained. However, in subsequent years, Washington returned to its previous position.