UN Proposes $94.1 Million Emergency Aid for Cuba Amid Fuel Crisis
The United Nations has submitted a $94.1 million emergency aid plan for Cuba including fuel deliveries, as the energy crisis and US blockade threaten essential services.
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The United Nations has proposed a $94.1 million emergency aid plan for Cuba, including fuel deliveries, as part of discussions with the United States over authorizing humanitarian imports. The plan was presented on Tuesday to dozens of diplomats and representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) by Francisco Pichon, UN coordinator in Cuba. The stated objective is to maintain essential services for the most vulnerable populations and "save lives," according to Pichon. The island is experiencing a severe energy crisis, worsened by the oil blockade imposed by the United States since January and its repercussions on electricity supply.
A plan contingent on fuel access
This plan extends the UN's response to damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, which struck Cuba in October, and incorporates the humanitarian impact of the ongoing energy crisis aggravated by the US oil blockade. "The feasibility and implementation of this action plan obviously depend on fuel solutions," Pichon stated. To ensure deliveries reach priority services, the UN has developed a "fuel traceability model." "All solutions are being examined, including collaboration with the non-state sector," he added.
UN personnel are largely unable to carry out field missions. UN agencies are struggling to retrieve aid shipments from Havana airports. These operational difficulties have emerged in the context of the US oil blockade imposed since January.
Risk of humanitarian collapse
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last month that Cuba risked a humanitarian "collapse" if access to oil was denied. "If the current situation continues and the country's fuel reserves run out, we fear a rapid deterioration, with a risk of human casualties," Pichon told a group of journalists. Discussions with Washington center on authorizing humanitarian imports, which the UN presents as indispensable to the plan's implementation.
Cubans face regular power cuts lasting more than 20 hours. Two total blackouts occurred last week. Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has imposed various fuel-saving measures, including strict rationing.
