Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Dr. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, has reiterated Namibia’s commitment to supporting Cuba’s removal from the list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said Namibia also condemns the unfair treatment of Cuba, adding that Namibia is defending values that it cherishes.
The speaker made these remarks during a courtesy visit by the Cuban Ambassador to Namibia, H.E. Mr. Sergio Vigoa de la Uz on Tuesday.
“Namibia supports Cuba on the basis of common values and the history that we share. We do not agree as a matter of principle with what is being done to Cuba,” the speaker said.
She added that persecuting Cuba for supporting people around the world is not a crime but solidarity that is expected of every person towards other people who are facing a situation of hardship.
“We believe Cuba needs to be applauded for what it has done for us in Namibia and Africa as a continent and other people that have been oppressed around the world,” Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said.
According to the speaker, Namibia strongly condemns the unfair treatment of Cuba, adding that Namibia is not doing Cuba a favor but grateful for what Cuba has done to Namibia during the liberation struggle.
“We will continue to call out the injustice that is made against Cuba. This injustice violates the values that we cherish, human rights, international laws, international multilateralism and rights to sovereignty,”‘ she said.
The speaker assured the ambassador of Namibia’s support for a resolution that calls for an end to the embargo against Cuba and its removal from the list of terrorist sponsoring countries.
‘HIT HARD’
Speaking during the meeting, Ambassador Vigoa de la Uz said Cuba remains grateful for Namibia’s support at different levels for its call for the removal of his country from the United States List of countries sponsoring terrorism.
“For the last 33 years, Cuba has been asking for the lifting of the blockade and removal from the USA list of countries sponsoring terrorism. This is a situation we are facing right now in Cuba and is a very bad economic situation because of the increase in sanctions from the USA against Cuba,” Ambassador Vigoa de la Uz said.
The Ambassador stated that such sanctions resulted in the country having many electricity blackouts for long hours.
PARLIAMENTARY FRIENDSHIP GROUP
The two leaders reaffirmed the continuation of the Cuba-Namibia Parliamentary Friendship Association and to put into work the agreements signed by the two country parliaments.
PARLIAMENTARY RELATIONS
Early July this year, the speaker held a bilateral meeting with her Cuban counterpart, Esteban Lazo Hernández, on the margins of the 6th World Conference of Speakers of Parliament, held in Geneva, Switzerland. She has reiterated Namibia’s commitment to strengthening parliamentary cooperation with Cuba.
Namibia and Cuba signed to Establish Diplomatic Relations on 3 April 1990.
