“We support Cuba, the Cuban family, and this meeting will be very useful for all of us who are outside our homeland,” he stressed in statements to Prensa Latina.

“I think that the issues to be discussed will be transcendental, we are confident that many of the affairs to be raised will be resolved, and that everything affecting us can be discussed, analyzed and seen,” he added.

Arozarena noted that unfortunately no representative from the ACCRA could attend the meeting at Havana’s International Conference Center, where over 400 Cuban residents overseas are participating.

This was due to the current economic difficulties and the suspension of TAAG flights to Havana in the months of November, December and January.

However, “we will be aware of everything that will be discussed at the meeting,” he stated.

Arozarena noted that difficulties to travel to Cuba are the biggest problem for the community living in Africa, since direct flights are scarce and the existing connections are expensive.

“This has meant that many people can no longer travel on an annual basis, but every two or three years,” he explained, adding that this does not prevent the sentiments of love and solidarity.

“Cuba hurts us, it is within us,” Arozarena assured. He went on to say that the ACCRA is mobilized in campaigns to collect medicines and take other actions in favor of Cuba.

“Most of us who are here support the efforts being made by the Cuban Government to get out of the economic crisis that affects all our people,” he stressed, and ratified their support for the Conference on the Nation and Emigration.

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