20th March 2016
Following the new detente in the US-Cuba relations in July last year, yours sincerely while enthusiastically supporting the dramatic change had observed that “Time will tell if the new relations between Cuba and USA is a passing diplomatic fad or genuine reconciliation of two sovereigns.” The commencement of a three day historic visit to Havana by President Obama from yesterday (Sunday March 20 to Tuesday March 22) is another great leap into genuine restoration of diplomatic relationship severed some 5 decades ago. In 1960, (a year before Obama was born) following the Cuban revolution and nationalization (without compensation!) of all US businesses, US broke off diplomatic relations with Havana and imposed a notorious trade embargo. Africans and friends of Cuba are excited about this singular historic milestone whose seed paradoxically was planted on African continent and (by some Devine reasons!) is being nurtured by the first African American President. It will be recalled that on the 10 Dec 2013, President Barack Obama and Raul Castro had the historic hands at the memorial service of the legendary Nelson Mandela. The handshake between the two historic ideological enemies came as they attended a ceremony in Johannesburg to celebrate the late South African leader’s ability to foster reconciliation.
The late Nelson Mandela, himself a Cuban enthusiast and a symbol of unprecedented reconciliation would be even more excited in his grave about the prospects of lifting of trade embargo against Cuba which he repeatedly campaigned for in and out of office. In 1991, Nelson Mandela had traveled to Cuba to thank Fidel Castro and the Cuban people in appreciation of the support for the fight against apartheid and colonialism in southern Africa. His quotable historic tributes to Cuba and Cubans are as valid as when he made them; According to Nelson Mandela the; “The decisive defeat of the aggressive apartheid forces [in Angola] destroyed the myth of the invincibility of the white oppressor,” (which certainly included USA whose Government supported the racist regime for as long as the inhuman contraption lasted). “The defeat of the apartheid army served as an inspiration to the struggling people of South Africa.”. Sadly there is no discernable African perspective on the new Cuba-USA relations informed by the type of Mandela’s historic recollections of Cuban contributions to African liberation. Again whence the African Union?
Whatever it is worth since 2014, it has been diplomacy unusual between Havana and Washington with attendant implications for Africa too. On December 17, 2014, the US and Cuba announced complete restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries. There has been a prisoner swap where three members of the Cuban Five were exchanged for U.S. Intelligence asset, Rolando Saraff Truhillo and with opened in each other’s capitals. There have also been new liberal travel and trade regulations by the US and the need for US citizens to travel to Cuba. Some of these reforms are enduring and seemingly irreversible but some conservative politicians of Cuban descent such as Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio are opposed to the reforms.
The recent development in Havana/Washington shows the futility of sanctions as tool of international diplomacy. Trillions of dollars trade benefits have been denied both Cuba and USA in the past decades of trade embargo. Indeed with the frenzy to have a bite of the new Cuban cake by Western governments and firms alike, it was the world that missed Cuba not necessarily the other way round. Lessons from Cuba are in legion for Africa. For one, the only thing constant in global diplomacy was permanent interest. No country is a permanent enemy no less a permanent friend. Secondly, African leaders who blindly follow western dictates should know that they hardly matter when the game is over. Both USA and Britain brought considerable pressures to bear on OAU (AU) members to isolate Cuba, of course without success given Cuba’s moral authority in the fight against oppression and apartheid in particular. The question is that how many of African leaders were consulted when same Western leaders and businessmen are scrambling for new Cuba?
Lastly, Cuba shows that the world will only accept us to what we are and NOT what we are made to look like. In spite of America inhuman embargo , Cuba is top on the top on World development index with mass full literacy and mass free health scheme. Cuba does not implement IMF or World Bank agenda, yet with developed social infrastructure, it is now a potential investment haven. Let African leaders also take a trip to Havana.