Roma, 8 Apr. (askanews) – The Italian government is following “with the utmost attention” the serious political, economic and social crisis affecting Cuba and hopes for the start of a credible path of democratic reforms. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said this while responding in the Chamber, during Question Time, to a question from Avs on the humanitarian crisis on the island. Tajani recalled that in the last five years over one and a half million people have left the country, defining this figure as a clear sign of a situation that is “no longer sustainable”.
Crisis in Cuba, Italy’s support
The minister also underlined that Cuba is a priority country for Italian development cooperation, with 28 ongoing initiatives worth around 45 million euros.
“The government – said Tajani – is following with the utmost attention the serious political, economic and social crisis that Cuba is going through. In the last 5 years over 1 and a half million people have left the country and this is a clear sign of a situation that is no longer sustainable. Italy’s position is clear: we firmly support the prospect of a democratic future and freedom for the Cuban people. We hope that the Cuban authorities will launch a credible path of reforms that can no longer be postponed to democratize the institutional system and offer new prospects to the country.”
“Cuba – added the minister – is a priority country for development cooperation. We have 28 initiatives underway for around 45 million euros. We are present in essential sectors such as sustainable agriculture and food security. The commitment towards Cuba is part of the priority attention with which the government follows Latin America. This is our commitment to Cuba and the entire Latin American region to promote stability, growth and development while respecting the rights and freedoms of peoples.”
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