THE IRISH GOVERNMENT has moved to open a political dialogue with the nation of Cuba.
At Cabinet on Tuesday the government authorised the Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan to sign the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA).
The PDCA is the first ever agreement between the EU and Cuba and will create a new legal framework for EU-Cuba relations.
It’s understood that work on the agreement began prior to the death of Fidel Castro.
The agreement aims to support the transition process of the Cuban economy and society, encouraging sustainable development, democracy and human rights.
The agreement will also open up possible trade-links between the EU and Cuba.
Negotiations between the EU, including Ireland, and Cuba began in April 2014 and were concluded in March 2016.
The signing of the PDCA will take place at a ceremony in Brussels on Monday.
Flanagan will join other foreign ministers, along with the Cuban foreign minister in Brussels on Monday for the EU Foreign Affairs Council where the agreement will be signed.
In a statement to TheJournal.ie, Flanagan stated he looked forward to signing the agreement.
Cuba’s relations with the EU have improved significantly in recent years, and this agreement, the first between the EU and Cuba, will put our relations firmly on a more forward-looking footing.
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