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Cuba
>> Regional Overview >> Cuba Overview Activity Data Sheet
PROGRAM: Cuba
TITLE AND NUMBER: Civil Society Developed Through Information Dissemination, 516-001
STATUS: Continuing
PLANNED FY 2001 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: FY 2001 : $4,982,000 (ESF)
PROPOSED FY 2002 OBLIGATION AND ACCOUNT: FY 2002: $5,000,000 (ESF)
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2005Summary: The goal of U.S. foreign policy toward Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy. U.S. policy recognizes the key importance of civil society in shaping and helping smooth the way for a peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy in Cuba. The present state of Cuban civil society is extremely weak. Fidel Castro and the Communist Party of Cuba dominate the political landscape, control the formal economic system, and strive to maintain a monopoly on the flow of information to, from and within the island. The prospects for peaceful transition will hinge on the ability of a revitalized Cuban civil society to help reconcile conflicts and prepare the population for peaceful democratic change.
To support a peaceful transition to democracy, USAID has adopted the special objective of increasing the free flow of accurate information on democracy, human rights and free enterprise to, from, and within Cuba. The Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 authorizes the President to provide assistance "through appropriate non governmental organizations for the support of individuals and organizations to promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba." The LIBERTAD Act of 1996 further elaborates the types of assistance and support the President is authorized to provide for individuals and independent NGOs to support democracy-building efforts for Cuba. Assistance may include provision of published and informational matter on democracy, human rights and market economies, to be made available to independent groups in Cuba; humanitarian assistance to victims of repression, as well as their families; support for democratic and human rights groups in Cuba and support for and permanent deployment of independent international human rights monitors. The LIBERTAD Act (section 202) also authorizes the President to begin planning now for U.S. assistance to a future transition government in Cuba and to a future democratically elected Cuban Government.
Key Results: Six results are necessary to achieve this objective: (1) Cuba's Human Rights Activists: Books, other information and assistance will be provided to more than 250 human rights activists in Cuba. Nine thousand pounds of food and medicine are needed for families of political prisoners and other victims of government repression in Cuba; (2) Cuba's Independent Journalists: 6,000 articles by Cuba's independent journalists will be disseminated internationally as well as circulated inside Cuba; (3) Independent Cuban NGOs: 12 exchange programs will be completed to strengthen independent NGOs; (4) Cuban Workers: Contacts will be established with Cuban rank and file workers, and international pressure brought to bear on the Cuban government to permit organization of independent labor unions and direct payment of workers by foreign firms; and international businesses in Cuba convinced to adopt a code of best business practices which protect the rights of Cuban workers; (5) Outreach to the Cuban people: transmission of informational exchange programs will inform more than 150,000 Cuban citizens on issues concerning democracy, human rights and free enterprise. USAID will look for innovative ways to promote effective forms of people-to-people contact which truly contribute to development of Cuban civil society. (6) Transition plans must be drafted for U.S. assistance to a future transition government in Cuba. Such plans will be transmitted to the Cuban people via radio, fax, e-mail and in hard copy.
Performance and Prospects: From 1996 through FY 2000, USAID has provided $9.7 million to 22 NGOs to promote a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba by increasing the free flow of accurate information on democracy and human rights to, from, and within Cuba.
By early FY 2001, USAID grantees reported they had: transmitted informational materials to more than 300 human rights activists in Cuba; provided political prisoners and their families with more than 12,000 pounds of food and medicine; published more than 6000 articles by Cuba's independent journalists; completed twelve exchange programs with Cuban independent NGOs; encouraged international labor confederation pressure on the Cuban government to respect workers' rights; completed a plan for assisting a future transition government with the conduct of free and fair elections; and conducted a survey of U.S. private sector resources and plans to assist the eventual reconstruction of the Cuban economy. Additional USAID programming in FY 2001 and FY 2002 will facilitate a significant expansion of these activities, leading to a better-informed Cuban population and increased international awareness of the Cuban government's human rights abuses. All of this will contribute to a strengthening of civil society on the island.
Possible Adjustments to Plans: USAID is seeking ways to: bolster solidarity with Cuba's human rights activists; significantly increase the transmission of information to the Cuban people; improve the skills of Cuba's independent journalists; and expand the monitoring of program impact. No changes in this approach are currently envisioned. Formal review and approval of the country strategy is pending, although the elements of the strategy -- the goal, strategic objective, intended results and performance indicators -- are already in place, as here described.
Other Donor Programs: The Roman Catholic Church provides assistance to CARITAS CUBANA, one of the few independent Cuban NGOs. In 2000, Canada, China, Russia, the European Union, Japan, and the United Nations Development Program delivered more than $90 million in economic and humanitarian aid to Cuba.
Principal Grantees: University of Miami, American Center for International Labor Solidarity, Center for a Free Cuba, Cuba Free Press, Institute for Democracy in Cuba, International Republican Institute, Pan American Development Foundation, Rutgers University, Sabre Foundation, Florida International University, U.S.?Cuba Business Council, Freedom House, Grupo de Apoyo a la Disidencia, Cuba On-Line, CubaNet, and National Policy Association.
Cuba 516-001
Performance Measures:
Indicator FY97
(Actual)FY98
(Actual)FY99
(Actual)FY00
(Actual)FY00
(Plan)FY01
(Plan)FY02
(Plan)Indicator 1: Exchange programs completed with independent Cuban NGOs 0 0 3 3 12 12 18 Indicator 2: Articles by independent journalists published and disseminated 0 0 2,000 2,000 2,000 3,000 5,000 Indicator 3: Food and medicine provided to political prisoners, their families and other victims of government repression (pounds) 0 0 5,585 5,780 6,000 9,000 18,000 Indicator 4: Cuban general population provided with newsletters and other factual information 1,000 2,000 4,000 75,000 10,000 150,000 175,000 Indicator 5: Human rights activists provided with books and other informational materials 20 100 120 150 NA 250 250 Indicator Information:
Indicator Level (S)or(IR) Unit of Measure Source Indicator Description Indicator 1: IR Number of NGOs Grantee reports Independent Cuban NGOs completing exchange programs. Indicator 2: S Number of articles Grantee reports Number of articles by independent journalists published and disseminated. Indicator 3: IR Number of pounds Grantee reports Pounds of food and medicine provided to political prisoners, their families, and other victims of government repression. Indicator 4: S Number of citizens Grantee reports Number of Cuban citizens provided with newsletters and other factual information. Indicator 5: S Number of activists Grantee reports Number of human rights activists provided with books and other informational materials. U.S. Financing
(In thousands of dollars)
Obligations Expenditures Unliquidated Through September 30, 1999 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 5,747 ESF 4,357 ESF 1,390 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Fiscal Year 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 3,443 ESF 1,387 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA Through September 30, 2000 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 9,190 ESF 5,744 ESF 3,446 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA Prior Year Unobligated Funds 0 DA 0 CSD 1,074 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Planned Fiscal Year 2001 NOA 0 DA 0 CSD 4,982 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Total Planned Fiscal Year 2001 0 DA 0 CSD 6,056 ESF 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 DFA Future Obligations Est. Total Cost Proposed Fiscal Year 2002 NOA 0 DA 0 DA 0 DA 0 CSD 0 CSD 0 CSD 5,000 ESF 15,758 ESF 36,004 ESF 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 SEED 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 FSA 0 DFA 0 DFA 0 DFA
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Last Updated on: May 29, 2002 |
