Grenada/Cuba Relations and assistance

Cuba has been a significant partner in Grenada’s development since the revolutionary government of 1979–1983. Its assistance spans infrastructure, healthcare, education, and technical expertise, forming a long-term bilateral relationship characterized by solidarity and capacity-building.

Historical Assistance (1979–1983)

• Point Salines International Airport: Cuban construction workers helped build Grenada’s international airport.
• Healthcare: Cuban doctors provided medical services to the population.
• Technical Advisors: Experts supported agriculture, transport, and public utilities development.
• Military Cooperation: A 1981 military cooperation agreement involved Cuban personnel and training.
• Fisheries Development: Cuba provided fishing vessels and training to support the industry.
• Scholarships: Many Grenadian students studied in Cuba during this period.

Post-Revolution / Diplomatic Relations (1994 Onwards)

The Grenada Revolution’s alliance with Cuba began in 1979, when Maurice Bishop’s People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) turned to Havana for support. Cuba quickly became Grenada’s most important partner, providing major civilian, military, and developmental aids ;especially for the construction of the Point Salines International Airport. This cooperation was central to the PRG’s efforts to pursue a socialist, people centered development model.

Relations collapsed in 1983 after the internal coup that killed Bishop and the subsequent U.S. invasion, during which Cuban personnel fought briefly before returning home. The invasion severely strained Cuba’s ties with Grenada and other CARICOM states throughout the 1980s.

With the end of the Cold War, Cuba shifted toward regional integration and South–South cooperation. Grenada gradually restored its relationship with Havana starting in the early 1990s, first under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and then more strongly under Prime Minister Keith Mitchell of the New National Party (NNP). By the late 1990s and 2000s, cooperation expanded significantly in health care, education, disaster relief, agriculture, and diplomacy.

Key initiatives included Cuban medical brigades, scholarships, construction of Grenada’s general hospital, and the Operation Miracle eye-care program. Political ties also strengthened, seen in UN voting patterns increasingly aligned against the U.S. embargo.

By the 2000s and 2010s, Cuba and Grenada had rebuilt a close and mutually beneficial partnership. Grenada values Cuba as a reliable development partner and advocate for small states, while Cuba views Grenada as an important supporter in the Anglophone Caribbean. The modern relationship reflects and revives the South–South cooperation ideals promoted by Maurice Bishop and the New Jewel Movement.

• Diplomatic relations resumed in 1994, renewing bilateral programs in education,health, and infrastructure.
• Continued scholarships and technical assistance have strengthened Grenada’s human capital.

Recent Cooperation (2000s–Present)

• Education: Cuba offers annual scholarships in medicine, engineering, and other technical fields.
• Healthcare: Cuban doctors participate in the Cuban Workers Program.
• Heritage and Culture: Cuban specialists provide technical assistance in conservation and tourism development.
• Bilateral Agreements: Grenada and Cuba have signed agreements in education,Health, agriculture, aquaculture, and technical cooperation.

Changes to the Cuban workers program.

Grenada has announced major changes to its Cuban Workers Programme after the United States requested a review. Following high-level talks in Havana, Grenada and Cuba agreed that Cuban professionals working in Grenada will now operate under the same conditions as local workers.. Grenada thanked Cuba for cooperating and acknowledged the U.S. role in raising the issue.

The government noted that Cuban workers, especially in healthcare, have long provided valuable support, while Grenada continues building its own health workforce through training and scholarships.

These developments followU.S. visa restrictionss placed on officials from several countries, including Grenada, over allegations that Cuba’s medical mission programme exploits Cuban workers. Caribbean governments have strongly rejected these claims. The U.S. continues urging other governments to pay Cuban doctors directly and has recently imposed a visa restriction on Grenada’s Finance Minister Dennis Cornwall. Despite the tensions, Grenada says both countries remain committed to maintaining diplomatic dialogue.