From left to right – Cuba’s Ambassador to Barbados, Yanet Stable Cárdenas; First Vice Minister, Ministry of Food Industry, Javier Aguiar Rodríguez; Barbados’ Ambassador to Cuba, Dr. Sharon Marshall; Director General for International Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Trade, William Díaz; and Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, Ministry of Foreign Trade, Martha Castillo. (Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade)
On July 11, Cuban authorities officially welcomed a shipment of 50,000 kilogrammes of milk powder donated by the Government of Barbados.
This is the second donation of 50,000 kilogrammes of milk powder by Barbados to Cuba, the first one having arrived in Cuba in October last year. Another donation by Barbados of 75,000 kilogrammes of milk powder is expected to arrive by the end of July 2025.
These humanitarian shipments are a result of continuing fruitful discussions between Barbados’ Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, and Cuban President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, since the state visit to Barbados by President Diaz-Canel in December 2022.
Barbados’ Ambassador to Cuba, Dr. Sharon Marshall, explained that Barbados, though a Small Island Developing State, strives to support its partners across the region.
The Ambassador noted that Cuba also continues to lend support to Barbados and the Caribbean Community, despite the well-known difficulties the country faces. She added that Barbados would maintain its advocacy on behalf of the Cuban people on the global stage.
First Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Food Industry, Javier Aguiar Rodriguez, expressed gratitude to Barbados on behalf of the Cuban government and people. He acknowledged that the donation would contribute to the well-being of the nation’s children and noted that the act was a demonstration of solidarity and commitment.
Powdered milk is among the basic foods that are provided to Cubans at a subsidized price through ration books, a system which was first introduced in 1962. In Cuba, children under the age of seven are allocated 1 kilogramme of powdered milk every ten days.
In February 2024, the United Nations World Food Programme confirmed that it had received a request from Cuba for assistance with the provision of milk powder for school children. Observers regarded this unprecedented move as an indication of the severity of the economic and financial crisis that Cuba is facing.
Author: Government of Barbados
Source: https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/barbados-donates-milk-powder-to-cuba/
