U.S. blockade hinders Cuba's sustainable development

 By María Josefina Arce.

The blockade that the United States has maintained against Cuba for more than six decades affects the fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals, which seek to achieve a balance between economic progress, social welfare and preservation of the environment.

The economic, financial and commercial sanctions reach all sectors of life and society, hindering the country's National Development Plan and negatively affecting the quality of life of Cubans.

This has been denounced by the Caribbean nation in various international forums and was reiterated in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, by the Cuban Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Armando Rodríguez Batista, during his speech at the Ministerial Table on Just Transition of the Program of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

From the point of view of environmental protection, the economic siege goes against the environmental strategy of the largest of the Antilles, which is highly vulnerable to climate change due to its insularity.

The hostile policies of successive U.S. administrations hinder the acquisition of advanced technologies needed to implement the adaptation and mitigation measures included in the Task Life, State Plan to Confront Climate Change.

Likewise, as the Cuban authorities have denounced, financial opportunities are reduced because it is not possible to carry out transactions with banks with interests in US territory.

In addition, the United States has opposed Cuba's access to international financing for environmental protection projects such as Mi Costa, which aims to strengthen coastal resilience in the face of climate change.

This initiative is expected to restore more than 15,000 hectares of coastal ecosystems, mainly mangrove forests and marsh grasslands, which will provide a natural barrier against strong winds and flooding.

The blockade also hinders exchanges with U.S. scientists and access to specialized information on digital websites.

Despite the U.S. siege, Cuba remains committed to sustainable development, which includes improving the living conditions of all its citizens and preserving the environment.