Amid widespread power outages lasting up to 23 hours a day, food shortages, and rapidly deteriorating basic services, the Basque Government has approved new financial assistance for Cuba. This aid is aimed at supporting development projects specifically in Havana.
According to the Spanish outlet Diario Euskadi, the Basque Government Council has authorized a direct grant of 250,000 euros to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Cuba. This is part of a broader international cooperation package totaling 350,000 euros.
The funds will be routed through eLankidetza, the Basque Agency for Development Cooperation. They are intended for the project titled "Havana's Path to the Future: Comprehensive Implementation and Monitoring of Havana's Provincial Development Strategy."
The initiative aims to assist in executing a plan crafted by Cuban authorities to enhance development in the capital. This plan includes measures related to institutional, economic, social, cultural, and environmental sustainability.
The approved funding will be allocated over two budgetary periods: 150,000 euros in 2026 and an additional 100,000 euros in 2027.
However, the financial support could potentially increase. The Secretariat General for External Action and Euskadi Global is currently processing another grant for the same amount and project, which would raise the total support to 500,000 euros.
Challenges Facing Havana
This decision comes at a particularly challenging time for Cuba. Documentation cited by Diario Euskadi acknowledges that Havana is grappling with significant issues, including institutional coordination, access to energy resources, waste management, housing problems, and attracting investments.
This assessment aligns with the current situation on the island. In May, the national electrical system recorded unprecedented deficits exceeding 2,100 megawatts, with widespread power outages affecting large areas. Simultaneously, the Cuban peso's depreciation continued to accelerate in the informal market, where the euro was traded between 610 and 620 pesos.
Historical Cooperation and Controversy
The new aid is part of a cooperative relationship between the Basque Country and Cuba that has spanned over three decades. This partnership is currently supported by a Memorandum of Understanding signed between eLankidetza and Cuba's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment (MINCEX), valid until 2028.
However, Basque support for projects related to the island has been controversial in recent years. In March, Cuban activist Amelia Calzadilla addressed the Basque Parliament to highlight the political and social challenges facing Cuba. She stated that "the dictatorship is leading Cuba towards a slow, painful, and silent mass extermination" and noted the presence of approximately 1,200 political prisoners.
Critics have also questioned the management of previous cooperation funds. Various sectors have raised concerns that resources channeled through the Euskadi-Cuba association ended up financing initiatives perceived by opponents as promoting the regime's official narrative. The organization was even subject to a judicial investigation in Spain in 2021.
Among the grants approved this week by the Basque Government, the remaining 100,000 euros will be directed to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which manages the Common Humanitarian Fund for Sudan, currently regarded by the UN as the world's most severe humanitarian crisis.
The decision regarding Cuba also occurs within a complex international context for Havana. Just days earlier, the United Kingdom announced the suspension of the ratification process for a cooperation agreement signed with the Cuban government in 2023, reflecting the growing tensions surrounding international relations with the regime.
Despite these challenges, the Basque Government continues to support cooperation programs on the island, strengthening its financial backing for development projects initiated from the Cuban capital.
Frequently Asked Questions About Basque Aid to Cuba
Why is the Basque Government providing aid to Cuba?
The Basque Government is providing aid to support development projects in Havana as part of a long-standing cooperative relationship with Cuba, focusing on enhancing institutional, economic, social, cultural, and environmental sustainability.
How is the aid being distributed?
The aid will be distributed over two budgetary periods: 150,000 euros in 2026 and an additional 100,000 euros in 2027, with the possibility of increasing the total support to 500,000 euros through additional grants.
What challenges is Havana currently facing?
Havana is facing significant challenges, including institutional coordination issues, energy resource access, waste management, housing problems, and difficulty attracting investments, exacerbated by widespread power outages and economic instability.