In a near-unanimous vote, the United Nations General Assembly once again urged the United States to lift its longstanding economic, commercial, and financial embargo on Cuba, a stance the Assembly has reaffirmed every year since 1992.

The resolution titled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” passed with 187 countries in favor, two against (the United States and Israel), and one abstention (Moldova).

While the resolution is non-binding, the vote highlighted the isolation of the US on this issue, drawing attention to the embargo first enacted in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution and Fidel Castro’s rise to power.

The resolution underscored fundamental principles of international relations, including the sovereign equality of states, non-intervention, and non-interference in internal affairs, as well as the freedom of trade and navigation. The General Assembly urged countries to avoid restrictive laws and practices that hinder these principles, calling on the US and other nations to promptly repeal such laws in line with the UN Charter and international law.

Notably, the Assembly recalled measures introduced by former US President Barack Obama in 2015 and 2016, which had softened the embargo's application. These efforts stood in contrast to actions taken since 2017 that reinforced the embargo’s restrictions. The Assembly also decided to revisit this agenda item in its next session, continuing its annual call for an end to the embargo.

This latest vote reaffirms global sentiment opposing the US embargo, placing pressure on Washington to reconsider its stance amid ongoing calls for respect for state sovereignty and international trade freedoms. (ILKHA)