A pivotal four-day Caricom summit in St Kitts and Nevis has been dominated by urgent calls from Caribbean leaders for the United States to de-escalate military interventions and lift the crippling oil embargo on Cuba.

The summit, featuring leaders from 15 nations across the Caribbean and the Americas, unfolded against a backdrop of deadly US military strikes against suspected drug vessels and a tightening economic blockade on Havana. The unfolding crisis has sent geopolitical shockwaves far beyond the Caribbean, catching the attention of non-aligned nations across Africa.

For East Africa, particularly Kenya, the situation resonates profoundly. Kenya and Cuba share deep, historic bilateral ties, largely centered around a robust medical exchange program. The economic strangulation of Cuba directly impacts global south partnerships, highlighting the vulnerabilities of developing nations to unilateral sanctions imposed by global superpowers.

A Plea for Constructive Dialogue

Jamaican Prime Minister and outgoing Caricom chair, Andrew Holness, delivered a powerful address, advocating for immediate constructive dialogue between Washington and Havana aimed at reform and stability. Holness emphasized that Cuba is an integral Caribbean neighbor whose doctors and teachers have served selflessly across the region—a sentiment echoed by Kenyan health officials who have heavily relied on Cuban medical brigades to bridge staffing gaps in rural counties.

Holness laid bare the stark reality facing the Cuban populace, noting they are enduring severe economic hardship, unprecedented energy shortages, and a rapidly escalating humanitarian strain. The prime minister warned that a prolonged crisis in Cuba would inevitably spill over, affecting migration, regional security, and economic stability across the broader Caribbean basin and potentially impacting its international aid capacities.

The Humanitarian Toll of the Embargo

The situation in Cuba has reached a critical juncture. Francisco Pichón, Cuba's UN resident coordinator, recently highlighted that the US oil embargo is actively preventing essential humanitarian aid from reaching communities devastated by Hurricane Melissa, a devastating Category 3 storm that struck eastern Cuba in late October.

The energy blockade and resulting fuel shortages have paralyzed the entire logistics chain. This paralysis makes disaster recovery and routine medical deployments nearly impossible. For nations like Kenya, which rely on Cuban expertise for complex medical training, the internal collapse of Cuba's infrastructure poses a direct threat to ongoing bilateral health initiatives.

• Energy Crisis: Severe fuel shortages have led to widespread, prolonged blackouts across the island.
• Humanitarian Blockade: Logistics chains for delivering hurricane relief supplies are severely compromised.
• Global Repercussions: The inability of Cuba to sustain its international medical diplomacy programs affects healthcare in developing nations.

Regional Solidarity and Historical Ties

The incoming Caricom chair, Prime Minister Terrance Drew of St Kitts and Nevis, utilized his platform to make a deeply personal appeal for humanitarian support. Having studied and lived in Cuba for seven years, Drew recounted heart-wrenching stories from colleagues facing desperate shortages of food and clean water, with garbage piling up in unlit streets.

This solidarity underscores a unified regional pushback against US foreign policy in the hemisphere. The Caribbean bloc is actively positioning itself as a conduit for constructive diplomacy. The ongoing situation serves as a stark reminder to the African Union and the East African Community of the critical need for regional integration and economic self-reliance in an increasingly volatile multipolar world.

"It must be absolutely clear that a prolonged crisis in Cuba will not remain confined to its borders; it is a profound test of our collective humanity and diplomatic resolve," Holness stated, calling for an immediate shift in international policy.