Gathering at Embassy Highlights Congo-Cuba Solidarity
The Cuban embassy in Brazzaville became a meeting point on October 27 when the ambassador convened a solidarity session. Congolese graduates of Cuban universities sat alongside members of the Cuban community in Congo to reaffirm their shared stance against Washington’s decades-long embargo.
Organizers described the meeting as an opportunity to share memories and, crucially, to amplify international calls for lifting the economic, commercial, and financial restrictions first imposed by the United States in 1962.
UN Vote Context Frames Brazzaville Dialogue
The Brazzaville gathering took place just days after the UN General Assembly again considered the annual resolution titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba,” a text supported by an overwhelming majority of member states.
Since 1992, voting patterns on this resolution have barely changed: while most countries register a firm ‘yes,’ the United States and Israel consistently vote ‘no.’
Addressing the audience, the ambassador reiterated that the evening’s purpose was not strictly ceremonial but strategic, designed to maintain the momentum generated in New York and to remind Central African partners that the conversation about the embargo extends far beyond the Caribbean.
The diplomat cited recently released figures from Havana’s Foreign Minister, estimating the economic cost of the sanctions between March 2024 and February 2025 at several billion dollars.
Economic Cost Figures Strengthen Calls
For the Congolese graduates who completed their higher education in Cuba, the conversation went beyond macroeconomics. Speakers recalled years of shared studies, free tuition, and a sense of solidarity forged in university lecture halls that, for them, still illustrates why academic ties matter in foreign policy.
The embassy event was held behind closed doors, but participants later indicated that a recurring theme was resilience and mutual aid, reflecting shared experiences during their years abroad and their current lives in Congo-Brazzaville.
Participants expressed hope that continued multilateral pressure could eventually open a space for dialogue with Washington, although no concrete timeline or policy plan was presented during the Brazzaville session.
Attendees also noted that cultural memories were interwoven with the political discussion, highlighting the hybrid identities formed by years of exchange between Congo-Brazzaville and Cuba.
People-to-People Diplomacy in Central Africa
The choice of venue and the presence of a diplomatic envoy placed Brazzaville among the capitals where the Cuban embargo remains a subject of active advocacy.
Some speakers focused on humanitarian considerations, highlighting what they described as the daily impact of the restrictions on Cuban families.
At the evening’s conclusion, organizers released a brief statement reaffirming their support for multilateral dialogue within the framework of the United Nations.
Ongoing Advocacy Plans Ahead of Next UN Session
Organizers mentioned plans to keep the network active before the next UN