The recent climatic disasters in Cuba, marked by hurricanes Rafael and Oscar, have exacerbated an already worrying energy crisis on the island. To address this, Russia has stepped up its aid initiatives, evidenced by the recent visit of Russian Emergency Situations Minister Alexander Kurenkov and other senior officials to Havana.
During his visit, Mr. Kourenkov met with officials of the Cuban Interior Ministry and visited the Special Rescue Unit of the Cuban Firefighters, where he presented donations to strengthen local capacities in the event of natural disasters. These initiatives illustrate Moscow’s commitment to supporting Cuba in a critical period.
Support is not limited to immediate donations. Russia has provided a loan of $60 million for the purchase of fuel, essential to deal with the island’s chronic shortages. A donation of $2 million was also announced, aimed at acquiring parts and components necessary to repair an electrical infrastructure tested by two major outages that occurred in less than a month.
Strategic energy cooperation
In parallel with financial and material aid, Moscow and Havana are deepening their cooperation in the energy field. The Cuban daily Granma reported the inauguration of a joint training center between the National Research University-Moscow Energy Institute and Union Electrica (UNE), the Cuban national electricity company. This center aims to train highly qualified personnel to support long-term energy projects.
This initiative is part of a joint roadmap established in recent years. According to Argelio Jesus Abad, Cuban Deputy Minister of Energy and Mines, this cooperation aims to reduce Cuba’s dependence on imported fuels and limit the impact of the embargo imposed by the United States. since 1962.
An unprecedented energy crisis
The impact of Hurricanes Rafael and Oscar, Category 3 and 2 respectively, put a strain on the island’s already fragile energy infrastructure. Rafael, which struck the west of the country in early November, deprived millions of Cubans of electricity for several days. These events come on top of shortages of fuel, food and medicine that are plunging Cuba into its worst economic crisis in three decades.
With an American blockade still in force, Havana must rely on its allies to overcome this period of turbulence. The revival of Russian-Cuban cooperation could play a key role in this resilience.
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