Cuba-Jamaica relations refers to the
bilateral relations
Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When ...
between
Republic of Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbean ...
and
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
. Cuba has an embassy in
Kingston and Jamaica has an embassy in
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. . Both countries are members of the
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States
A community is a social unit (a group of living things) with commonality such as place, norms, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given geographical area (e.g. a country, village, town ...
.
History
In 1972, Cuba and Jamaica established formal diplomatic relations.
In 1977, Fidel Castro visited Jamaica, marking the first time a Cuban leader had visited Jamaica. In 1997, Fidel visited Jamaica again to attend the funeral of
Michael Manley
Michael Norman Manley (10 December 1924 – 6 March 1997) was a Jamaican politician who served as the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1972 to 1980 and from 1989 to 1992. Manley championed a democratic socialist program, and has been d ...
.
Prime Minister
Percival James Patterson
Percival Noel James Patterson, popularly known as P.J. Patterson (born 10 April 1935), is a Jamaican former politician who served as the sixth Prime Minister of Jamaica from 1992 to 2006. He served in office for 14 years, making him the longe ...
visited Cuba in May 1997 and in late 1997, Jamaica upgraded its
consulate
A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of diplomatic mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth coun ...
in Havana into an
Embassy
A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually deno ...
In 2016, Jamaican Prime Minister
Andrew Holness
Andrew Michael Holness, (born 22 July 1972) is a Jamaican politician who has been the Prime Minister of Jamaica since 3 March 2016, following the 2016 Jamaican general election. Holness previously served as prime minister from October 2011 to ...
pledged to identify ways to deepen collaboration and exchanges in the areas of trade, tourism, climate change and disaster mitigation as well as culture and education. Prime Minister Holness also paid tributes to the late
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz (; ; 13 August 1926 – 25 November 2016) was a Cuban revolutionary and politician who was the leader of Cuba from 1959 to 2008, serving as the prime minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976 and president from 1976 to 200 ...
in 2016.
Aid
Cuba has built several schools in Jamaica such as José Martí Technical High School and the G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport and The Fidel Castro Campus of the Anchovy High School in Montpelier, St. James, was opened in 2015.
Cuba has also treated hundreds of Jamaicans for various eye diseases free of charge.
In 2020, Jamaican Senate president
Tom Tavares-Finson
Tom Tavares-Finson (born 7 July 1953) is a Jamaican attorney-at-law and President of the Senate of Jamaica.
Biography
Tavares-Finson was born in Kingston, Jamaica.. He was educated at the Jamaica College; McMaster University (Ontario, Canada) ...
praised Cuba for providing over 30,000 Jamaicans with free eye care and providing over 500 teachers to teach across Jamaica as while as providing scholarships to Jamaicans to study in Cuban universities.
See also
*
Foreign relations of Cuba
Cuba's foreign policy has been fluid throughout history depending on world events and other variables, including relations with the United States. Without massive Soviet subsidies and its primary trading partner, Cuba became increasingly isolate ...
*
Foreign relations of Jamaica
Jamaica has diplomatic relations with many nations and is a member of the United Nations and the Organization of American States. Jamaica chairs the Working Group on smaller Economies.
Jamaica is an active member of the Commonwealth of Nations a ...
References
Bilateral relations of Cuba
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