Recent UN report part of West’s continued pressure on Ethiopia: Cuban Ambassador
Addis Ababa, September 23, 2022 (FBC) – Cuban Ambassador to Ethiopia, Jorge Lefebre Nicolas exclusively told FBC that the recent report of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia is part of the continued coercive measures being imposed by the West on Ethiopia.
“The west is imposing variety of sanction on Ethiopia to bend the nation to their will forcefully, but Ethiopia is in a position to withstand the pressures and step up its development endeavors,” the Ambassador said.
Referring to the August 22 report by the UN report, Ambassador said the report is not merely a document but also a political tool aimed at putting more pressures on Ethiopia.
Western powers in the guise of the UN are acting in unfair manner and devising such documents only to achieve their political objectives.
Continued pressure from the West on Ethiopia could prove counterproductive and bring more social and economic complications to the country, the Ambassador stated.
Citing the situation in Cuba as an example, the Ambassador noted that sanctions are devastating tools that put livelihoods of peoples of the third world countries at catastrophic situation.
The sanctions imposed by the U.S. on Ethiopia only affect livelihoods of poor Ethiopians, he underscored.
Cuba opposes any undue pressure on Ethiopia from the west, he said, reiterating commitment of his country to bolster its longstanding and historical relationship with Ethiopia in the bilateral and international fora including the UN platform.
Ambassador recalled that Cuba sent more than 15, 000 soldiers to Ethiopia to support the nation in the war against invading forces of Somalia under Siad Barre, and hundreds of Cubans sacrificed their lives to help safeguard territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ethiopia.
Thousands of Ethiopia students who pursued their high education in Cuba are now serving their homeland in various careers, he said, adding his country is committed to support Ethiopia in various areas of cooperation. Cuba also wants to take lessons from Ethiopia in coffee development sector, he added.
Cuba also deployed hundreds of doctors and teaches to Ethiopia to reinforce the health and education sectors of the country respectively.
Saying that Ethiopia has been registering tremendous changes in the social and economic spheres, the Ambassador reiterated that Cuba will contribute its share in speeding up the reforms in the country.