Mnangagwa cancels sanctions meeting in Cuba due to bad weather

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has cancelled his trip to Cuba because of bad weather conditions around the island nation engulfed by Tropical Storm Ian since late Friday over the southern Caribbean, including Florida in the United States.

The President of Zimbabwe is in New York following his trip last week for the United Nations General Assembly.

He was supposed to travel to Cuba to discuss issues surrounding imposition of sanctions on the two countries by the United States.

Deputy Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet George Charamba confirmed the development.

“Owing to prevailing weather systems affecting Cuba and zones near it, His Excellency the President, Dr ED Mnangagwa, and his delegation will no longer travel to Cuba where he was slotted to pay a two-day State Visit.

“Cuba is a great friend of Zimbabwe and Southern Africa, with links between Cuba, Zimbabwe and the SADC region dating back to days of the Liberation Struggle and the fight against apartheid,” he said.

“Soon after Independence, Cuba availed a whole campus on the Isle of Youth for the training of young Zimbabweans. That project morphed into present-day Bindura State University specialising in the teaching of Sciences.

“Cuba has consistently seconded medical corp to Zimbabwe and other Southern African countries. It is also helping Zimbabwe develop drug manufacturing capacity.

“The President is looking at another time to fulfill this needful fixture which brings together two Nations on the receiving end of America’s unilateral sanctions. Aluta Continua!” Charamba added.

The US government imposed sanctions on Cuba and Zimbabwe citing more of the same reasons of human rights abuses.

In July last year, US President Joe Biden imposed sanctions on the Cuban police force and two of its leaders in reaction to “actions to suppress peaceful, pro-democratic protests in Cuba that began on July 11.”