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20, April 2021

Cameroon’s former First Lady Germaine Ahidjo dies in Senegal hospital aged 89 ⁰

The wife of the first president of the Republic of Cameroon, Ahmadou Ahidjo has reportedly passed away in the main hospital in Dakar (Senegal), at the age of 89. First Lady of Cameroon from 1960 to 1982, Germaine Habiba Ahidjo was born in Mokolo in 1932. In 1942, she obtained her school certificate in Yaoundé and then joined the Douala Girls’ College, now the New-Bell High School.

In 1947, through Louis Paul Aujoulat, the Territorial Assembly granted her a scholarship to France where she obtained a state nursing diploma in 1952 and specialised in tropical diseases at the Pasteur Institute in 1953. She married a Lebanese man named Touffic, with whom she had a son, Daniel Boubakari, who settled in Bafoussam. She divorced him before returning to Cameroon.

In 1955, she met Ahmadou Ahidjo, who officially married her on 17 August 1957. She was then a nurse specialised in tropical diseases. With Ahmadou Ahidjo, she had three daughters: Babette, Aissatou and Aminatou (CEO of the Yaoundé Conference Centre).

After her husband resigned in November 1982, and was sentenced to death in absentia for his involvement in the failed coup of 1984, she could not return to the country with him and moved to Dakar (Senegal), where she still lived. Her husband died there on 30 November 1989 and was buried. Since then, she has been campaigning for his official rehabilitation and above all, for the repatriation of his remains to Cameroon. She was a reserved person who put her advice at the service of her husband.

By Chi Prudence Asong

20, April 2021

Biya regime dispute with Seedorf and Kluivert rages on ⁰

A salary row dating back several years involving two former coaches of the national team, Clarence Seedorf and Patrick Kluivert, could end up being extremely costly for the Cameroonian Football Federation.

In a case of abusive breach of contract, world football governing body FIFA has ordered the Francophone dominated Football federation FECAFOOT to pay 316,000 Euros (207283360 FCFA) to Clarence Seedorf, the former coach of the Indomitable Lions, whose dismissal it considered unfounded.

FIFA stated that the Cameroon Football Federation should pay the applicant within 30 days from the notification of the decision, the said sum of 316,000 Euros as compensation for breach of contract, plus 5% interest from 29 May 2020 until the date of actual payment.

The 45 year-old Clarence Seedorf as well as his deputy Patrick Kluivert, were dismissed from their positions as Cameroon coaches on 16 July 2016, after the Africa Cup of Nations fiasco in Egypt.

The ruling CPDM criminals running Cameroon Football Federation blamed Seedorf and his staff for what they painted as a “premature exit” from the Africa Cup of Nations after the Indomitable Lions were eliminated from the competition by Nigeria.

In August 2019, the Dutch technicians had filed a complaint with FIFA for “unfair dismissal” and were claiming 1.3 billion FCFA from FECAFOOT.

This is not the first time that the consortium of crime syndicates in Yaoundé has been ordered to pay compensation to a technician after an “abusive dismissal”. The corrupt football men and women in French Cameroun have a well established reputation of separating from those they hire abroad through fraudulent contracts and kickbacks to compensating them afterwards.

By Cameroon Concord News and Africa Intelligence

19, April 2021

Jose Mourinho: from ‘Special One’ to trophy-less-one ⁰

Jose Mourinho is one of Europe’s most successful club managers, but his trajectory at Tottenham Hotspur tracked a wearily familiar arc of initial promise followed by bitter recrimination.

For the first time since the early years of his managerial career in Portugal, the self-declared “Special One” leaves a club without silverware after he was sacked by Spurs on Monday.

The timing was a surprise coming less than a week before Tottenham have a chance to break their 13-year barren run, in Sunday’s League Cup final against Manchester City.

But notably, it came the day after the London club controversially set out its intent to join others in a breakaway European super league, with chairman Daniel Levy unhappy at how Spurs have become Premiership also-rans under Mourinho.

Yet again, the famously outspoken 58-year-old leaves under a shadow — at odds with senior players, with the media, and with fans.

A serial winner across Europe, Mourinho arrived at Spurs 17 months ago with a point to prove after his reputation was tarnished by a more than two-year spell in charge of Manchester United.

Tottenham’s swashbuckling credo is “to dare is to do”. But fans hungry for success swallowed their initial misgivings over the appointment of a coach who was ruthlessly pragmatic in his style of play.

“It’s not important how we play. If you have a Ferrari and I have a small car, to beat you in a race I have to break your wheel or put sugar in your tank,” he had said in 2010.

While he claimed three trophies at Old Trafford, including the 2017 Europa League, the end came with a dismal run of results and high-profile disagreements with players.

Much the same dynamic had played out in previous spells at Chelsea and Real Madrid, marked also by running feuds with opposition managers and the press, and a surly unwillingness to admit any shortcomings.

Despite brief periods of optimism this season at Tottenham, including beating United 6-1 at Old Trafford and briefly topping the Premier League table, a barren 2021 has seen the team repeatedly squander winning positions.

– ‘Don’t call me arrogant’ –

After a brief and undistinguished playing career in Portugal, Mourinho’s road to managerial success was paved by the arrival in 1992 of Englishman Bobby Robson to take charge of Sporting Lisbon.

Robson appointed the young sports science graduate as his interpreter, and Mourinho followed the former England manager to successive positions at Porto and Barcelona, becoming assistant coach.

By 2002, Mourinho had experience of the managerial hot-seat in his own right during spells at Benfica and Uniao de Leiria. But it was at Porto that his career truly took off.

In the first knockout round of the 2003-04 Champions League, Porto beat Manchester United with a last-minute goal, and Mourinho announced himself on the European stage by running dramatically from his dug-out to celebrate wildly with his players.

The Portuguese club went on to beat Monaco in the final, and Mourinho was now in the sights of Chelsea’s ambitious new owner, Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich.

Mourinho paid short shrift to any notion that he might take time acclimatising to England’s ferociously competitive footballing scene.

“Please don’t call me arrogant, but I’m European champion and I think I’m a special one,” he said after taking over as Chelsea boss.

– The ‘Happy One’ –

He put Abramovich’s billions to spectacular use to end the Arsenal-Manchester United duopoly, winning the Premier League title in his first season and repeating the feat the following year before things turned sour.

Next stop was Inter Milan, who became the first Italian side to complete the treble of league, cup and Champions League.

At Real Madrid, he tussled with Pep Guardiola’s great Barcelona side, winning the league title in 2012. But he failed to lead them to European glory, the benchmark of success for Real.

In June 2013, Chelsea appointed Mourinho — now the “Happy One” — as manager for the second time.

He won a third Premier League title in his second season in charge, before a poor start to the next campaign cost him his job.

Even though he failed to win the league title at Manchester United, he still added the Europa League and the League Cup to United’s groaning trophy cabinet, before falling out with senior squad members and the club’s directors.

And with his stormy time in North London also now cut brutally short, Mourinho is in unknown territory, a managerial failure for the first time since leaving Portugal.

Source: AFP

19, April 2021

Cardinal Tumi: Renowned Cleric going home to rest ⁰

The late Archbishop Emeritus of Douala His Eminence Cardinal Christian Tumi, has embarked on his final journey home to rest. The funeral ceremony of the 91-year-old cleric, who died on Saturday, April 3, 2021 in Douala, is spread over two days.

The funeral rites started today Monday at 11am at the Douala Military Hospital in the Bonanjo district in Douala. The vigil mass will be held at 8pm at the Cathedral of Saints Paul and Peter in Bonadibong, and a Eucharistic Celebration on Tuesday 20 April 2021 at 10am.

All the bishops of Cameroon have converged in Douala, after they recently met at the 46th Plenary Assembly of the National Episcopal Conference in Yaoundé.

In his opening remarks, Bishop Abraham Kome, Bishop of Bafang and President of the National Episcopal Conference of Cameroon, expressed the sorrow of the entire Church of Cameroon, following the passing to eternity of His Eminence Cardinal Christian Tumi and invited the Bishops and all Christians to continue to pray to the Risen Lord to open the gates of the Kingdom to this dedicated pastor.

By Rita Akana in Douala

19, April 2021

Football: Jose Mourinho sacked by Tottenham Hotspur ⁰

Tottenham Hotspur have sacked Jose Mourinho as manager.

The Athletic understands Spurs have decided to dispense with Mourinho after just over a season and a half in charge.

Tottenham are in seventh in the Premier League and at risk of missing out on a place in the top four.

19, April 2021

12 European football clubs launch Super League despite wave of criticism ⁰

Twelve of Europe’s biggest clubs on Monday said they planned to launch a breakaway Super League, despite the threat of an international ban for them and their players.

The move sets up a rival to UEFA’s established Champions League competition and was condemned by football authorities and political leaders.

Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus are among the leading members of the new league but UEFA has threatened to ban them from domestic and international competition and vowed to fight the move.

French President Emmanuel Macron and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson both issued statements condemning a breakaway and supporting UEFA’s position.

As well as United, Premier League clubs Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have signed up to the plans.

Barcelona and Atletico Madrid from Spain join Real. AC Milan and Inter Milan make up the trio from Italy along with Juventus.

The Super League said that they aimed to have 15 founding members and a 20-team league with five other clubs qualifying each season.

The clubs would share a fund of €3.5 billion to spend on infrastructure projects and to deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The money would not be available to spend on players.

The League said they will make ‘solidarity payments’ to the rest of European football which will exceed those currently offered by UEFA and which “are expected to be in excess of €10 billion” over the 23-year commitment period the clubs have entered into.

“We will help football at every level and take it to its rightful place in the world. Football is the only global sport in the world with more than four billion fans and our responsibility as big clubs is to respond to their desires,” said Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, the first chairman of the Super League.

No German or French clubs have yet to be associated with the breakaway.

World soccer’s governing body FIFA expressed its “disapproval to a ‘closed European breakaway league’ outside of the international football structures”.

But noticeably there was no mention of a previous threat from FIFA to ban any players taking part in a breakaway from participating in World Cups.

The announcement came just hours before UEFA is due to sign off on its own plans for an expanded and restructured 36-team Champions League on Monday.

UEFA issued a strong statement jointly with English, Spanish and Italian leagues and football federations, saying they were ready to use “all measures” to confront any breakaway and saying any participating clubs would be banned from domestic leagues, such as the Premier League.

“The clubs concerned will be banned from playing in any other competition at domestic, European or world level, and their players could be denied the opportunity to represent their national teams,” UEFA said.

“We thank those clubs in other countries, especially the French and German clubs, who have refused to sign up to this. We call on all lovers of football, supporters and politicians, to join us in fighting against such a project if it were to be announced. This persistent self-interest of a few has been going on for too long. Enough is enough.”

‘Absolute disgrace’

The moves were condemned by football authorities across Europe and former players such as Manchester United’s ex-captain Gary Neville who called it “an absolute disgrace” and said the club owners were motivated by “pure greed”.

Reacting to an official Arsenal tweet saying: “We are one of 12 founding clubs of the European Super League,” Arsenal Supporters’ Trust wrote on Twitter: “The death of Arsenal as a sporting institution.”

Top French club PSG have not been reported to have signed up to the plan and Macron also raised his voice against the breakaway.

“The President of the Republic welcomes the position of French clubs to refuse to participate in a European football Super League project threatening the principle of solidarity and sporting merit,” the Élysée Palace said in a statement sent to Reuters.

“The French state will support all the steps taken by the LFP, FFF, UEFA and FIFA to protect the integrity of federal competitions, whether national or European,” the Élysée added, citing the national, European and global football governing bodies.

UK PM Johnson also opposed the move.

“Plans for a European Super League would be very damaging for football and we support football authorities in taking action,” Johnson tweeted.

“They would strike at the heart of the domestic game, and will concern fans across the country. The clubs involved must answer to their fans and the wider footballing community before taking any further steps.”

There have been reports of a breakaway for a number of years and they returned in January with several media reporting a document had been produced outlining the plans.

In October, then Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the club had accepted a proposal to join a breakaway league.

Those reports led FIFA and UEFA to warn that they would ban any players involved in a breakaway from playing in the World Cup or European Championship.

UEFA has proposed major changes to its Champions League which had received support from many clubs and organisations.

The changes would see the competition increase to 36 from 32 teams, and an overhaul of the group stage into a single table rather than the current groups of four clubs.

Teams would play 10 matches each in the group stage rather than the six they currently play and a playoff round would also be introduced before the last 16.

But while there has been a broad consensus about those reforms, the big clubs made a late push to have changes to the governance and control of the competition before making Sunday’s dramatic move.

(FRANCE 24 with REUTERS)

18, April 2021

Cameroon: As the cabinet reshuffle looms large on the horizon ⁰

There have been rumors about a cabinet reshuffle in Cameroon for a long time now, but the “monarch” neither seems to be under pressure to change his collaborators nor willing to reverse the current unfortunate trend of events.

The monarch is used to functioning as a typical government machinery which needs to be jolted into action by external factors and this has been the trend for some four decades and this could account for some of the sluggishness in the civil service, in particular, and the country, in general.

As the president’s collaborators age, it is imperative for him to replace them with some experienced and humble hands that have been working quietly and honestly in the system.

Cameroonians need youthful, energetic and selfless hands to ensure the country weathers the many storms many around the world have said will hit Cameroon like a ton of bricks after the current president, Paul Biya, bows to the inevitable.

Of course, age is just a number, but when age is accompanied by illnesses, the actors must be humble and courageous enough to exit the political scene in a very honorable manner.

Age has a way of robbing humans of their vitality. It deprives them of that enthusiasm that is a characteristic of many young people and it is that enthusiasm and energy which drive young people and spur them to achieve a lot for their families and country.

It is, therefore, not an error when many Cameroonians hold that a new political class should emerge in Cameroon if the country has to be prepared for a future that will be very challenging for people who are showing signs of senile decay.

Of course, there are many young, determined and ambitious Cameroonians who are willing and ready to put their time and energy at the service of their country, but many argue that the current political dispensation makes it hard for them to jump into the political arena where they can demonstrate that they have what it takes to help put Cameroon on the right track to prosperity and sustainable development.

But even within the ruling CPDM that has been indicted of so many crimes and sins, there are still some young, competent and hardworking Cameroonians who have kept their noses to the grindstone and if given the opportunity, they could make their country proud.

As a cabinet reshuffle looms large on the Cameroonian horizon, many forces of evil are at work to ensure that the good and competent young men do not make the president’s list of ministers.

The Cameroon Concord News Group has noticed that some shady characters, working under the cover of darkness, are at work and they are using all the tools available to them to sling mud at anybody who has made hard work his hallmark.

A voice note recently sent to the Cameroon Concord News Group London office has been indicting the Assistant Secretary General at the Presidency, Elung Paul Che, of crimes that have never been reported or documented.

Through its Yaoundé correspondent and other sources, the Cameroon Concord News Group have conducted a thorough investigation of the allegations and it has not found any evidence of such malfeasance.

The Cameroon Concord News Group is not just a platform that reports negative things. It also brings out the hidden good news when it finds it and Elung Paul Che’s honesty is worth reporting.

Before being appointed in 2015 as the Minister Delegate to the Ministry of Finance, Elung Paul Che had held numerous positions and interviews with those who worked with him revealed that he always demonstrated a rare form of honesty that kept many wondering, especially as corruption spreads across the country like wildlife.

Not many Cameroonians will see money and be indifferent to it. But Paul Elung Che shocked many people in the Southwest region when he was the Assistant paymaster in the Southwest treasury in Buea. He exhibited the same discipline and rigor when he was the paymaster general for the Northwest region in Bamenda and the Southwest region.

Many Cameroonians are honest people, especially when money is not involved. Bring money where Cameroonians are working and their discipline takes French leave of them. But Elung Paul is different and has always demonstrated that state property is not his property and that it must be properly managed and this has earned him great admiration and promotions.

After having served without blemish as the paymaster general in both the northwest and southwest regions, he was promoted as the Acting Director of the Treasury in Yaoundé, and later as the Director of Treasury.

Hard work pays off and Elung Paul knows this only too well. After having distinguished himself at the state treasury, he was appointed Director General of the Treasury, Finance and Cooperation in the Ministry of Finance; a post he held till 2009.

Four years later, he was appointed as the Director General of the Hydrocarbons Prices Stabilization Fund (CSPH) in 2013. From CSPH, he became a Minister in 2015, while still serving as the Director General of CSPH.

With such a brilliant career and experience, it is worth mentioning that Mr. Elung Paul Che could be one of those young, competent and hardworking ruling party members who still inspire hope.

It is, indeed, rare to find such civil servants in the country’s current civil service. The Cameroon Concord News Group investigation has proven that Elung Paul Che has never been linked with any corruption scandal.

The investigation has also proven that he has many enemies in the system because of his carefulness and honesty. He is being fought by many regime insiders who accuse him of seeking to be a “clean fish in a dirty ocean”.

A source in the Ministry of Finance hinted the Cameroon Concord News Group correspondent in Yaoundé that many people in the finance ministry fought him so hard when it was rumored that President Biya wanted to appoint him as the Minister of Finance; battles which have left him psychologically bruised. However, he remains unbowed and determined to make his contribution to the country’s development without disappointing his friends and family.

The source added that his detractors did all they could to ensure that he did not become the country’s finance minister, adding that “a good player will never lack a team and Elung Paul was appointed to other duties.”

Many people at the finance ministry accuse him of being too strict and too ‘clean’ for their liking. Yet, regardless of how murky the Cameroon waters may be, those who place themselves above the corruption that has become the country’s cancer, will always be noticed and it was because of his clean records that many Cameroonians, especially the francophones the Cameroon Concord News Group talked to, thought that in addition to his dynamism, he could one day be a good Prime Minister for the country.

By Joachim Arrey in Canada and Soter Tarh Agbaw-Ebai in the United Kingdom

18, April 2021

Messi scores twice as Barcelona crush Athletic Bilbao 4-0 in Copa del Rey final ⁰

Lionel Messi scored twice, including a stunning solo goal, as Barcelona blew away Athletic Bilbao to win the Copa del Rey on Saturday, consigning their opponents to a second final defeat in two weeks.

The cup was won and lost in a whirlwind 12 minutes in Seville, which saw Barca score four times to clinch an emphatic 4-0 victory, with Messi at his devastating best.

It remains to be seen if his seventh Copa del Rey triumph is the last trophy Messi lifts in Barcelona colours but if this was to be a final flourish, the 33-year-old crafted a fitting farewell.

“It’s very special to be captain of this team where I have spent my whole life and very special to be able to lift this cup,” Messi said.

His first goal, and Barca’s third, started with the Argentinian in his own half before a charging run down the right and a surge forward into the penalty area gave him the chance for a simple finish.

With the club’s new president Joan Laporta in the crowd, Ronald Koeman’s first title as Barcelona coach should also significantly boost his chances of remaining in charge beyond the summer.

“To win a title is important for me,” Koeman admitted afterwards.

Yet Laporta was noticeably evasive when asked about Koeman’s future.

“He is doing well,” he said.

Koeman took over a team at rock bottom, humiliated by an historic loss to Bayern Munich and wounded by the attempts of Messi to leave the club for free.

But this 31st Copa del Rey success for the club is a testament to progress made and Koeman will hope it not only helps convince Messi to stay but gives Barca momentum now in a neck-and-neck title race in La Liga.

“Despite the changes at the club and the young players, at Barca you have to always fight for trophies,” Koeman said.

“We have the first one and now we are going to fight to the last game in La Liga.”

‘Turned it around’

Gerard Pique said it felt like the club had been “reset”.

“Sometimes you fall down and you have to get up,” Pique said. “It has been a difficult year but the team has turned it around.”

Messi was sent off when Athletic Bilbao beat Barcelona, also at the La Cartuja, in January to win the Spanish Super Cup but they never looked like pulling off a repeat.

After Athletic lost to their Basque rivals Real Sociedad in last year’s postponed final only two weeks ago, lifting themselves for another showpiece in the same stadium and against a tougher opponent was always going to be a big ask.

“In both finals we played well below the level that we’re capable of,” said Athletic coach Marcelino Garcia Toral.

Barcelona were almost ahead after four minutes as Sergio Busquets played in Messi, who rolled back for Frenkie de Jong but his sidefooted finish came back off the far post.

Sergino Dest dragged wide while Inigo Martinez had Athletic’s best chance but as he stretched for the bouncing ball, he could only poke over.

Athletic seemed to have played their way into the match before half-time but Barcelona came out with renewed vigour, with Unai Simon making two brilliant saves to deny Antoine Griezmann and then Busquets, both from close range.

But when the resistance gave way, it became a collapse, with goals scored in the 60th, 63rd, 68th and 72nd minutes to leave Athletic’s hopes in tatters.

First, Messi slipped in Dest down the right and his cross was diverted in by Griezmann before the second came from the opposite flank, Jordi Alba curled in a cross for De Jong to nod in.

The third was a spectacular from Messi, who started the move in his own half, leaping over one challenge and dodging another.

He took the ball back from Dest and drove down the right wing, away from three opponents and inside.

Messi twice played off De Jong, the second time after motoring forward into the penalty area, where he darted between two last Athletic defenders and slid the finish into the far corner.

His second, and Barca’s fourth, was more straight-forward, Alba pulling a cross back for the Argentinian to tuck under a weak right hand from Simon and inside the post. For Athletic, there was no way back.

(AFP)

18, April 2021

Southern Cameroons Crisis: Nigeria’s hospitality to Ambazonians is remarkable ⁰

Two nonprofit organizations, Community Refugee Relief Initiative,CRRI and The Fomunyoh Foundation , TFF have asserted that Nigeria’s hospitality towards Cameroonians who were currently taking refuge in the country was remarkable and rare gesture.

Vanguard learned the Over 80,000 Cameroonian refugee were taking refuge in different states in the Country including Cross River, Taraba, Benue ,Akwa Ibom amongst others. Speaking separately to Vanguard weekend, shortly after the tour and distribution of food items including rice,noodles,fruit juice amongst others to refugees in various camps across the Country and Cross River in particular , Dr. Celestine Atangcho and Christopher Famoyouh ,Chairman ,BOD of CRRI and President /Founder TFF said they were impressed with the hospitality Nigeria and her people have given to Cameroonian Refugees now living in Nigeria .

Fomunyoh said : “We want to put in a word of appreciation and thanks, genuine, sincere gratitude to the people of Nigeria, to the ordinary citizens of Nigeria for what they are doing to the Cameroonian refugees, for having open their hearts and their minds and their houses and their neighborhoods to Cameroonian refugees. “We have been very touched by that and I see the love that Nigerians show towards these refugees. It’s remarkable, it’s truly brotherly love. “We want to thank the authorities of the states that are harboring the refugees, notably, Cross River state, Akwa Ibom state, Benue state, Taraba state and all of the other states in which there may be a couple of refugees, including the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja, there’s a refugee camp settlement in Abuja,” he said .

On his part Dr Atangcho lauded the Federal Government of Nigeria for the attention they’re paying to refugees during this period. “We really appreciate the government of Nigeria for their attention during this crisis and for the appeals they’ve continued to make for the international community’s to address the root causes of the conflict, to bring the conflict to an end so that these refugees can return to their homes. “It is a strong reminder that as Africans, we have to look out for each other because we’re each other’s keeper. I have been so touched by that and I want to use this opportunity to sincerely thank them for what they’re doing, it’s been noticed, it’s being appreciated at all levels and we remain very grateful and I think that people will always be grateful for that. Vanguard learned that the two organization visited and distributed food items to Refugee camps both in rural ,urban areas as well as major cities including Calabar ,Oban,,Akor ,Adagom I &III ,Okende ,Ajasor ,Basua all in Cross River ,Ikyogen in Benue and Abuja .

Source: vanguardngr.com

17, April 2021

Cuba: Castro resigns from ruling party to hand power to younger generation ⁰

Former Cuban President Raul Castro has announced his resignation as the head of the country’s ruling Communist Party, the most powerful position in the Caribbean island nation.

Castro made the announcement during a speech Friday on the first day of the party’s eighth congress, saying he is handing over power to a younger generation that is “full of passion and anti-imperialist spirit.”

“I believe fervently in the strength and exemplary nature and comprehension of my compatriots, and as long as I live, I will be ready with my foot in the stirrups to defend the fatherland, the revolution and socialism,” he told party delegates at the closed-door meeting at a convention center in Havana.

Castro underlined that he was retiring with the sense of having “fulfilled his mission and confident in the future of the fatherland.”

He is expected to formally step down on April 19, the last day of the congress, when the party’s new leadership will be elected.

The 89-year-old was elected to the top position in 2011, succeeding his older brother and ex-president Fidel Castro, who had held that position since the founding of Cuba’s Communist Party in 1965.

Raul Castro announced in 2018 that he expected incumbent President Miguel Diaz-Canel to replace him after his retirement in 2021. The 60-year-old represents a new generation and has been serving the first of two five-year terms as president.

Castro’s retirement comes as Cuba is facing multiple challenges exacerbated by US-led sanctions against the Caribbean island nation as well as the coronavirus pandemic.

Cuba’s economy shrank 11 percent last year due to the deadly viral pathogen and tightened US sanctions which have caused a decline in aid from its ally, Venezuela.

Moreover, the US returned Havana to its so-called list of “state sponsors of terrorism” just nine days before Republican President Donald Trump left office.

The then US secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, said Cuba was being blacklisted for “repeatedly providing support for acts of international terrorism,” and cited Cuba’s security support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

Source: Presstv