President John Mahama has reiterated Ghana’s call for an end to the long-standing economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba, arguing that unilateral measures against sovereign states undermine the principles of the international system.

Addressing the 65th anniversary meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade, President Mahama said Ghana remained opposed to the embargo and urged a reconsideration of measures that, in his view, weaken sovereign equality and non-interference.

“Ghana reiterates its call to the long-standing economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba,” he said.

President Mahama criticised what he described as unilateral coercive measures that undermine the principles of the United Nations Charter.

“Unilateral, coercive measures that undermine sovereign equality, non-interference, and purposes and principles of the Charter weaken the multilateral system we all agreed to defend,” he stated.

He said the issue of Cuba was part of Ghana’s position that political independence must be matched by the economic capacity of countries to determine their own development priorities.

“Political independence is more meaningful when it is accompanied by the economic capacity to pursue national priorities,” President Mahama said.

He also called for greater attention to resource sovereignty, arguing that countries in the Global South should not remain trapped in a system where they export raw materials while importing finished products and bearing the environmental and social costs of extraction.

President Mahama further urged the Non-Aligned Movement to strengthen its collective voice on global challenges, including climate change, development, finance, and international inequality.

“We must speak with one united voice to advance advocacy and action on climate change,” he said.

He stressed that the movement must translate its principles into concrete action, particularly as developing countries confront widening development gaps and emerging challenges such as artificial intelligence and digital inequality.

“Ghana remains committed to working with all members of the Non-Aligned Movement to strengthen multilateralism, advance a fairer international order and ensure the voice of the Global South carries greater weight,” President Mahama said.

The U.S. economic embargo on Cuba dates back to 1960, following the deterioration of relations after Fidel Castro’s revolution and the Cuban government’s nationalisation of U.S.-owned property. President John F. Kennedy formally expanded the trade embargo in February 1962, as Washington sought to put economic pressure on the Cuban government.

The restrictions were later reinforced through legislation, including the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 and the Helms-Burton Act of 1996. While U.S.-Cuba diplomatic relations were restored in 2015 under President Barack Obama and some restrictions were eased, the wider economic embargo remains in force.