Kenya has reaffirmed its longstanding opposition to the United States’ economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, maintaining its position that unilateral sanctions undermine international cooperation and harm ordinary citizens.
The latest position comes as the United Nations General Assembly considers a resolution calling for an end to the decades-old restrictions, which have remained a major source of diplomatic tension between Washington and Havana.
In its statement to the UN General Assembly on October 28, 2025, Kenya said the embargo had stood in contradiction to the principles of sovereign equality, non-interference and shared prosperity, calling for international relations to be guided by respect for international law.
“Unilateral measures imposed outside the framework of international law remain an affront to the multilateral system and to the spirit of the UN Charter,” Kenya said in the statement delivered by its Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Yabesh O. Monari.
Kenya’s position is consistent with its previous votes at the UN, including the 2025 General Assembly vote in which it supported a resolution calling for the embargo to be lifted. The resolution passed with 165 votes in favour, seven against and 12 abstentions.
The embargo, first imposed in 1960, has remained in place for more than six decades. Cuba and other countries opposing the restrictions argue that they contribute to economic hardship and limit access to essential goods, while the United States maintains that its policy is intended to address the Cuban government’s record on human rights and governance.
The current UN debate is taking place amid heightened tensions between Washington and Havana, with the General Assembly expected to vote on the resolution on October 28, 2026. Although such resolutions are not legally binding, they carry diplomatic significance by reflecting the views of UN member states.
Kenya’s renewed position underscores its support for multilateral diplomacy and its call for international disputes to be addressed through respect for international law and cooperation rather than unilateral economic pressure. estatements.
