Overview
The complex and unique context of Cuba also affects the development of the Cuban Red Cross (CRC) in respect to the diversification of its financing, the modernization of its management and facilities and the implementation of its activities. The 2014 plan took this into consideration, as did the activities planned in the 2014-15 country plan.
At end of October 2012, Hurricane Sandy affected the eastern region. During its passage through Cuba, Sandy left significant damage behind, particularly in the city of Santiago de Cuba, which is not usually in the direct path of Caribbean hurricanes. The city was battered by the strongest winds as it was exposed to the eastern and stronger side of the hurricane. Members of the Red Cross coordinated efforts internally and externally from the onset of the emergency. In Cuba, the National Society has coordinated all of its actions with local authorities while sharing information with its partners.
For more than a year after Hurricane Sandy struck, the entry through customs of items and supplies needed to support the response and recovery operation was “facilitated”; however, these measures have already returned to how they were before the disaster occurred. Additionally, the regulations to apply for foreign trade continue to be revised (this refers to the Cuban context explained in the LPTF and the Operational Plan Narrative).
This devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy provided an opportunity for the Movement to position the Cuban Red Cross as a strong humanitarian actor, and it confirmed that the Cuban Red Cross has ample experience working alongside the government authorities to assist in the rapid evacuation of families living in at-risk areas. 2014; US President Barack Obama’s announcement about changing the United States’ economic policy and overall relationship with Cuba for the first time in more than fifty year was one of most significant pieces of news in 2014, both for the Americas and globally. This marks the beginning of several changes for Cuba by providing a basis for cooperation and commerce between the two countries and possibly marking the beginning of the end of the Cuban Embargo. It is important for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) to continue to monitor the changing context in Cuba in order to gain foresight into the IFRC’s future humanitarian actions in Cuba
It is important to improve the IFRC’s communication with the National Society through an increased presence and field visits to Cuba. It is sometimes difficult for the National Society to gain access to the Cuban media, and the availability of resources from the country office in Santo Domingo is limited.