Cuba: Political dialogue on disarmament and non-proliferation held with EU

The European Union and Cuba held the third sessions, via video tele-conference, of their political dialogues on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, as well as on illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and other conventional weapons.

Discussions included exchanges of views on recent developments in the area of nuclear, biological and chemical non-proliferation, United Nations General Assembly works on non-proliferation and disarmament, as well as illicit trafficking of small arms and light weapons, and lethal autonomous weapons systems.

The Parties agreed on the importance of stepping up international cooperation in these areas, and exchanged views on assistance provided to third countries for the purpose of arms export control and non-proliferation. The EU briefed on the support it is providing, including in Latin America and the Caribbean. The parties agreed to continue exchanging information and to consider further cooperation in these areas.

The EU raised the challenges posed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine to the global arms control and non-proliferation architecture.

The Dialogues were preceded by a civil society seminar on 21 November, where representatives of Cuban and European civil society exchanged experiences on the ways in which civil society can promote peace and disarmament.

The EU delegation was headed by the Special Envoy for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation, Marjolijn van Deelen. Rodolfo Benítez Verson, Director General for Multilateral Affairs and International Law of the Cuban Ministry for Foreign Affairs led the Cuban delegation. Representatives of EU Member States also participated in the Dialogue as observers.

Background

The Dialogues on illicit trade in small arms and light weapons and other conventional weapons, and on disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction were held under the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA), which was signed in December 2016 and entered into provisional application on 1 November 2017. This was the third round of dialogue under the current PDCA framework, the previous sessions having been held on 7 March 2019 and 14 October 2020.

Other political dialogues taking place under the PDCA cover the topics of human rights, unilateral coercive measures, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.