Cuba strengthens cooperation partnerships at the 55th Pacific Islands Forum
Koror, Palau, September 2, 2026. - Cuba is participating as a dialogue partner in the 55th Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Leaders’ Meeting, taking place from August 30 to September 4, 2026, in Palau. At this important regional gathering, the Cuban delegation is represented by Néstor Torres, Cuban resident ambassador to Fiji, who conveys Havana’s firm commitment to strengthening bonds of brotherhood with the nations of the Pacific.
During the discussions, the Cuban ambassador emphasized that his country deeply values the friendship, solidarity, and cooperation forged with the Pacific nations, despite the geographical distance and the limited financial resources. The historic leader of the Revolution, Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro Ruz, was the principal architect and inspiration behind this friendship. In this year, when we commemorate with deep pride the centennial of his birth, we recall that Fidel was also the pioneer of Cuban collaboration in the field of health with the small island states of the Pacific, beginning with the dispatch of medical brigades and the scholarship program for training human resources.
As a result of this strong cooperation, a total of 245 young people from this region have successfully completed their studies in Cuba and have returned to their home communities as qualified health professionals to promote social well-being. In addition, Cuba has deployed multiple medical contingents to the Pacific, ensuring comprehensive care, both primary and specialized, in the geographic areas facing the greatest vulnerabilities. In this regard, Cuba reaffirmed the country’s full willingness to continue collaborating by sending medical brigades and providing health advisory services. Despite the complex economic difficulties the country is facing due to the U.S. blockade against the Cuban people, the annual offer of new medical scholarships for young people in the region remains firmly in place.
Likewise, Cuba’s cutting-edge biotechnology was made available, including drugs such as Heberprot-P, a unique injectable that accelerates deep tissue healing to treat severe diabetic foot ulcers and prevent amputations, while sports exchanges are being strengthened through the hiring of Cuban high-performance coaches.
In the context of multilateral cooperation and climate action, the Cuban declaration noted that the capacity of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) has been strengthened. Also recalled that climate finance to be provided by developed countries under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Paris Agreement is not a favor, but a historic responsibility governed by equity and common but differentiated responsibilities.
The current context for Cuba presents numerous challenges due to the cumulative effect of the U.S. embargo, the intensification of sanctions, Cuba’s continued inclusion on the unjust list of state sponsors of terrorism, and the energy blockade imposed for more than half a year, all of which severely impact the implementation of development goals.
Nevertheless, Cuba expressed deep gratitude for the expressions of solidarity and support from many SIDS, recognizing the power of a united stance by the majority of the international community, and reiterated his appreciation for the historic support for the call to end the blockade.
Finally, Cuba endorsed the vision of the Pacific as a Zone of Peace, in line with the historic Blue Ocean of Peace Declaration and the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace adopted in Havana in 2014, sharing the commitment to ban nuclear weapons and reject external interference.
Cuba comes with a full willingness to share experiences and draw upon the Pacific’s immense cultural wealth, reaffirming its unconditional commitment to strengthening alliances and proudly preserving the bonds of brotherhood and mutual support.
(Cubaminrex-Cuban Embassy to Fiji)
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