The UN emergency aid coordinator, Mark Lowcock, called for a review of the unilateral coercive measures imposed on countries, such as the U.S. blockade against Cuba.
In response to a question sent by Prensa Latina via e-mail, the official of the United Nations said in a virtual meeting that all States must help each other in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The UN considers that it is necessary to ensure that any sanctions do not lead to unintended consequences that end up hindering or making it more difficult to face this pandemic,” Lowcock said. “We hope that all countries will review the measures they have imposed.”
The UN emergency relief coordinator also recognized the work done by Cuban health professionals in many countries around the world and called it an example of global solidarity.
A few days earlier, the UN Under-Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, also highlighted the valuable support provided by Cuba in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
During a virtual briefing of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States, while reviewing the effects of the new coronavirus and the global actions to combat it, she emphasized the solidarity contribution of Cuba and its medical brigades, which are joining the global efforts to combat the current health crisis and safeguard the achievements of the United Nations and its member states.
According to Mohammed, this pandemic poses particular socio-economic and health challenges for small island developing states and, therefore, solidarity and cooperation are urgently needed.
Currently, the Henry Reeve medical brigade is present in 22 nations around the world, where approximately 1,500 health professionals from the Caribbean island are fighting to put an end to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since the disease began to spread around the world, UN authorities and other international agencies have called for the lifting of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures against countries such as Cuba, Venezuela, Syria and Iran.
But the United States, far from easing the restrictions, is tightening them and the U.S. blockade has prevented the arrival in Cuba of medicines, equipment and other resources needed to deal with the new coronavirus.
source: Radio Habana Cuba
