Cuba - UAE Relationships

Although the UAE Embassy was inaugurated in 2015, relations have been growing steadily with the Caribbean countries. In the region, solid cooperation has taken place in the implementation of projects related to sustainability, solar energy, culture, education, infrastructure, among other fields. Those fields are priorities to the Caribbean countries and they also constitute areas of focus of the UAE Policy for Foreign Assistance.

Some of the most relevant milestones in the overall cooperation are:

• The UAE provided emergency assistance worth Dh36.7 million (US$10 million) to contribute to recovery efforts in the countries affected by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean states.

• Three solar power projects in the Bahamas, Barbados, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have been inaugurated under the $50 million UAE-Caribbean Renewable Energy Fund (UAE-CREF).

• Four grid-connected solar PV power plants inaugurated in various locations in Cuba with a total capacity of 15 megawatts, with a loan of US$15 million (AED55million), as part of the second cycle of the IRENA/ADFD Project Facility. Cuba and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines were two of the selected countries in 2015 (Second cycle) and Antigua and Barbuda was selected as part of the third cycle.

•  “Pedestrian Access for Village Enhancement” project in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines was implemented with financing from “Dubai Cares” and the Government of the United Arab Emirates, to lay 40 miles of concrete footpaths.

• Donation of $500 000 USD by the UAE Government to the Civil Defense in the Dominican Republic, to help building resilience to natural disasters.

• The UAE supported a school feeding program in St. Vincent and the Grenadines with a USD 500,000 contribution that would benefit 2,139 school children with monitored school feeding across 12 primary schools. On the same path, the UAE is supporting several projects together with UNICEF, UNDP, PAHO, and WFP which will contribute to children’s wellbeing, health, education, infrastructure and sustainability in Cuba, Jamaica, and Haiti.

• The UAE has one of the most open economies in the world. Thanks to its attractive business environment and continued economic growth, the UAE has emerged as a key international trade hub between East and West. The UAE-Caribbean economic relations have enormous potential for growth.

• The strengthening of the existing economic and trade cooperation with the region has been a key element in the Embassy´s cooperation strategy since its establishment in 2015. Examples of this cooperation are:

• First UAE-Caribbean Cooperation Forum was held in Dubai, in November 2018, with the participation of more than 400 government and business leaders, key decision-makers and investors from the UAE and the Caribbean region.

• Double Taxation Agreements have been signed with Saint Kitts and Nevis and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

• Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements have been signed with Antigua and Barbuda and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

UAE is keen to strengthen its cultural and creative collaborations with the Caribbean countries and highlight the value of the intercultural exchange. Promoting culture is a priority for the UAE and the Caribbean countries, and for that reason, steps have been taken to solidify the relations in this field.

• The Embassy has successfully participated in the Havana Book Fair since 2017, with great acceptance among the Cuban people.

• UAE and Jamaica signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cultural cooperation.

• UAE and Dominican Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the cultural sector

• The UAE Ambassador has made several presentations about the UAE, its history, culture and major achievements in Universities and Research Centers in different Caribbean countries.