Uzbekistan backs lifting US embargo on Cuba in UN resolution
187 States Call for Lifting of Sanctions against Cuba, United States and Israel Oppose
The United Nations General Assembly has once again adopted a resolution urging the United States to lift its economic, commercial, and financial sanctions against Cuba. This marks the 31st time that such a resolution has been passed.
The resolution received support from 187 states, including Uzbekistan, while the United States and Israel voted against it. Ukraine chose to abstain from voting.
The authors of the resolution expressed their condemnation of the application of laws and regulations by Member States, particularly referring to the extraterritorial consequences of the Helms-Burton Act adopted by the United States on March 12, 1996. They argued that such laws infringe upon the sovereignty of other states, legitimate interests of legal entities or individuals under their jurisdiction, as well as freedom of trade and navigation. In response, the resolution called upon all states to refrain from implementing similar measures and laws.
This continuous call for the lifting of the blockade has been ongoing for 31 years. In 1992, the resolution received support from 59 states, a number that increased to 191 in 2017, and currently stands at 187 in 2022. In a noteworthy change, in 2016 the United States abstained from voting against the resolution for the first time, but later reverted to its previous position.
The United States initially imposed sanctions against Cuba in 1960, following the expropriation of American citizens and corporations’ properties. The sanctions were further tightened in 1962, resulting in a near-total embargo. According to the Cuban National Institute of Economic Research, the damage caused by the embargo between 1962 and 2017 amounts to a staggering $130 billion.
The adoption of this latest resolution by the majority of states highlights the international community’s growing support for the lifting of sanctions against Cuba. However, it remains to be seen whether the United States will reconsider its stance and take steps towards normalization of relations with the island nation.
