His Excellency Mr Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuban Foreign Affairs Minister and Her Excellency Mrs. Federica Mogherini – Picture by Council of the European Union.
Thursday, 4 January 2018, Republic of Cuba: The European Union’s top diplomat, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Commissioner Federica Mogherini met Cuban President Raúl Castro as she ended a two-day visit to the Communist country aimed at strengthening commitment to the island as the US backtracks on a fragile détente.
At a press conference, Mogherini said that EU member countries combined were now Cuba’s most important economic partner and announced a series of economic, social and development agreements.
As the US-Cuba rapprochement unfolded in 2015-2016, the EU dropped all sanctions and negotiated a political dialogue and cooperation agreement, the first between Cuba and the EU.
In February 2018, Mogherini shall preside with Cuban Foreign Minister, Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla in Brussels over the first joint cooperation meeting between the EU and Cuba.
During her visit she repeatedly criticised the US trade embargo and uttered her regrets “that the current US administration has apparently changed course with Cuba”. Yet the EU is ready to step in and fill in the blank as the country is preparing for President Raúl Castro to step down in February 2018. A successor will be chosen from the National Assembly.
For further information:
European External Action Service: https://eeas.europa.eu/headquarters/headquarters-homepage_en/37943/HR/VP%20Federica%20Mogherini%20on%20official%20visit%20in%20Cuba
Mission of Cuba to the EU (HE Norma Goicochea Estenoz): http://misiones.minrex.gob.cu/es/articulo/mogherini-cuba-no-esta-sola-frente-al-bloqueo
