Amid renewed US, Cuba ties, UN condemns embargo for 24th year

Reuters

27 October, 2015, 23:08

Update: 27 October, 2015, 23:10

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez is greeted after speaking before a United Nations General Assembly vote addressing the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the US against Cuba at the United Nations headquarters in New York on 27 October 2015. Photo: Reuters

United Nations: The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday condemned a US trade embargo on Cuba for the 24th year in a resolution that Washington voted against despite warming ties and a push by President Barack Obama to remove the economic restrictions.

The resolution was adopted by the 193-member General Assembly with 191 votes in favour. Israel joined the United States in voting no. While such resolutions are non-binding, they can carry political weight.

In July, the United States and Cuba restored diplomatic relations after a 54-year break. Obama told the UN General Assembly last month that he was ‘confident our Congress will inevitably lift an embargo that should not be in place anymore.’

The resolution welcomes the renewed ties and recognises ‘the expressed will’ of Obama to end the embargo.