Namibia must stand with Cuba, as Cuba once stood with Namibia

There are moments in the life of a nation when solidarity is not merely a diplomatic word, but a moral obligation. Namibia’s humanitarian campaign for the people of Cuba, which has raised more than N$700 000, presents one such moment.

The campaign is important not simply because of the money collected, or because it provides medical supplies and solar-panel kits to a country facing serious economic difficulties. It is important because it reminds Namibians of a history that should never be reduced to speeches, anniversaries and political ceremonies.

Cuba stood with Namibia when our country was fighting for its freedom. Today, Namibia has an opportunity to demonstrate that solidarity is reciprocal.

The economic hardship experienced by ordinary Cubans cannot be discussed without acknowledging the long-running United States embargo against Cuba. The policy dates to the early 1960s, when the administration of US President John F. Kennedy imposed the economic embargo that became one of the most enduring features of Washington’s policy towards Havana.

For more than six decades, the Cuban people have lived under restrictions affecting trade, finance and access to international markets. The Cuban government has also made economic and policy choices that have contributed to the country’s difficulties, and those issues should not be ignored. But neither should the impact of the embargo and the wider sanctions regime on ordinary people.

The consequences are ultimately experienced by families, patients, students, farmers, workers and businesses. When access to financing, imported goods, technology, equipment and essential supplies becomes more difficult and expensive, the burden does not fall exclusively on governments. It reaches into households.