Canada to provide humanitarian assistance to Cuba

Canada announced on Wednesday that it will provide 8 million Canadian dollars (about 5.8 million U.S. dollars) in humanitarian assistance to Cuba amid the country's worsening conditions, reported Xinhua.

The funding, announced by Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Secretary of State for International Development Randeep Sarai, will be released immediately to scale up food and nutrition support for vulnerable Cubans, said Global Affairs Canada, the country's foreign ministry, in a news release.

This funding is part of an international assistance program delivered through partnerships with the World Food Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund, it said.

According to the release, Cuba is facing rapidly worsening conditions driven by severe fuel shortages, prolonged blackouts and growing barriers to accessing food and healthcare.

The energy crisis, compounded by last year's challenges, including Hurricane Melissa, has increased the vulnerability of millions of people, said the release.

Anand said that the decision was an independent act of Canadian foreign policy.