US Tightens Sanctions on Cuba, Targets Tourism Ministry in Fresh Pressure Campaign

By: Michael Mike

The United States has expanded its sanctions against Cuba, targeting the country’s Ministry of Tourism and nine other state-linked entities in a fresh escalation of Washington’s decades-long economic pressure campaign against the Caribbean nation.

The latest measures, announced by the U.S. State Department, add 10 Cuban entities to Washington’s sanctions list, extending restrictions to organisations involved in tourism, fuel imports, exports and foreign trade operations. Among those sanctioned are ENETEC S.A., Coreydan S.A. and the Foreign Trade Business Group (GECOMEX), all of which play roles in Cuba’s international commercial and energy sectors.

The move marks another step in the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten economic restrictions on Havana, with the Ministry of Tourism—one of Cuba’s most important foreign exchange earners—becoming a key target. The sanctions were imposed under an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on May 1, broadening the administration’s authority to increase pressure on the Cuban government.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would continue deploying economic and diplomatic measures as part of its policy toward Cuba, maintaining that the sanctions are intended to hold the Cuban government accountable.

The Cuban government, however, condemned the latest restrictions, describing them as an attempt to deepen the country’s economic crisis and intensify what it calls the U.S. economic, commercial and financial blockade that has been in place for more than six decades.

Havana argued that the new sanctions seek to discourage foreign companies and investors from doing business with Cuban state institutions, particularly those linked to strategic sectors such as tourism and energy.

The sanctions come at a time when Cuba is grappling with one of its worst economic crises in decades, characterised by persistent shortages of fuel, electricity, food and medicines, soaring inflation and a wave of outward migration. Cuban authorities have consistently blamed the U.S. embargo for worsening the country’s economic hardship, while Washington argues that Cuba’s centrally planned economy and government policies are primarily responsible for the crisis.

The latest U.S. action also follows renewed international criticism of the embargo at the United Nations. Earlier this month, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly adopted a resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo against Cuba, with 136 member states voting in favour, nine—including the United States and Israel—voting against, and 30 abstaining.

The General Assembly has adopted similar resolutions annually for more than three decades, reflecting broad international opposition to the embargo. Although the resolutions are not legally binding, they have consistently underscored the diplomatic isolation of the United States on the issue.

Relations between Washington and Havana have remained tense since the United States imposed sweeping sanctions following the 1959 Cuban Revolution led by Fidel Castro. While some restrictions were eased during the Barack Obama administration, relations deteriorated again under President Donald Trump, who reinstated and expanded sanctions aimed at limiting Cuba’s access to foreign currency and international financing.

The Biden administration retained many of those restrictions, and Trump’s return to office has been accompanied by a renewed commitment to intensify pressure on Havana.

Cuban officials warned that the expanded sanctions would further strain the country’s fragile economy and increase hardship for ordinary citizens, accusing Washington of pursuing a policy designed to force political change on the island. The United States has consistently rejected that characterization, insisting that its sanctions are aimed at the Cuban government and entities linked to it rather than the Cuban people.

The latest measures are expected to further complicate Cuba’s efforts to attract foreign investment and revive its tourism industry, one of the country’s principal sources of revenue as it struggles to recover from years of economic contraction and declining international visitor arrivals.

US Tightens Sanctions on Cuba, Targets Tourism Ministry in Fresh Pressure Campaign

2030 SDGs at Risk as Nigeria, UN Push Private Capital to Bridge Massive Funding Gap

By: Michael Mike

With less than four years left to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Federal Government and the United Nations on Monday warned that Nigeria cannot meet the ambitious global targets through public funding alone, calling for an urgent mobilisation of private capital and innovative financing to avert a widening development gap.

The warning came on Monday at the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) Joint Steering Committee Meeting in Abuja, where top government officials, heads of UN agencies, development partners, labour unions, civil society organisations and the private sector reviewed Nigeria’s progress and mapped out strategies to accelerate implementation of the SDGs.

At the heart of the discussions was the growing concern that dwindling public resources, rising humanitarian needs, climate shocks and persistent poverty could derail Nigeria’s commitment to ending extreme poverty, improving healthcare, expanding education and building resilient communities before the 2030 deadline.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, said the country had reached a defining moment that demands stronger partnerships, greater policy coherence and alternative financing mechanisms capable of unlocking large-scale investments.

He described the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023–2027) as the blueprint guiding collaboration between the UN and Nigeria in implementing the SDGs, the National Development Plan and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“The framework is anchored on four interconnected pillars—people, prosperity, peace and planet. Prosperity cannot happen without peace, and peace cannot endure without development. Opportunities must be accessible to all, while protecting vulnerable populations and the environment remains essential,” Fall said.

Despite mounting challenges, Fall said the partnership had delivered measurable results across critical sectors.

According to him, more than two million vulnerable Nigerians received humanitarian assistance, including cash transfers during lean seasons, while about 2.6 million people benefited from disaster risk reduction programmes aimed at strengthening resilience against emergencies and climate-related shocks.

He disclosed that nearly one million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition received life-saving treatment in 2025, with cure rates approaching 90 per cent.

The UN official also revealed that about 40 million children benefited from Vitamin A supplementation, while regional preparedness plans were strengthened to improve responses to Ebola and Mpox outbreaks.

Fall further stated that approximately 190 million children were reached through polio vaccination campaigns, describing the Presidential Declaration on National Health Insurance as a major milestone towards expanding healthcare access and guaranteeing sustainable financing for vulnerable citizens.

In the education sector, he said 6.8 million children were reached through school-based programmes across 18 states, while over 66,000 out-of-school children were successfully returned to classrooms.

He added that more than nine million Nigerians gained access to improved water, sanitation and hygiene services, with another 4.2 million benefiting from initiatives promoting healthier and safer communities.

However, despite these gains, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu, warned that the scale of financing required to achieve the SDGs had outgrown governments’ fiscal capacity.

“The reality is that the Sustainable Development Goals require more resources than governments alone can provide. We must unlock private capital and mobilise innovative financing mechanisms that can support development at scale,” Bagudu said.

He noted that Nigeria’s ongoing macroeconomic reforms had released resources previously consumed by inefficient subsidy regimes, creating additional fiscal space for investments in health, education and social development.

Bagudu stressed that sustainable poverty reduction would depend on expanding access to finance, skills and economic opportunities.

“There is no reason why hardworking Nigerians should remain poor if they have access to the right skills, financing and opportunities. Together with development partners, we can create the scale required to transform livelihoods and communities,” he added.

Also speaking, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro said the Federal Government had strengthened coordination of poverty reduction efforts through the One Humanitarian, One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), a national platform designed to harmonise humanitarian interventions, social protection programmes and poverty alleviation initiatives across all levels of government and development partners.

He also highlighted the National Poverty Intelligence Lab, which provides real-time multidimensional poverty data to support evidence-based policy decisions and improve the targeting of interventions.

“The Renewed Hope Agenda and the 2030 Agenda share the same vision—ending poverty, expanding access to healthcare and education, strengthening food security, empowering women and youth, and building resilient communities,” the minister said.

Minister of State for Budget and Economic Planning, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, called for stronger institutional coordination, better project preparation and innovative financing models capable of bridging Nigeria’s widening development financing gap.

She also urged the media to sustain public awareness of ongoing efforts to achieve the SDGs and promote accountability in the implementation of development programmes.

Adopted by all United Nations member states in 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals comprise 17 interconnected global targets aimed at ending poverty, eliminating hunger, improving healthcare and education, promoting gender equality, combating climate change and fostering sustainable economic growth by 2030.

Nigeria has integrated the SDGs into its National Development Plan and the Renewed Hope Agenda. However, implementation has been hampered by funding shortages, insecurity, inflation, climate-related disasters and growing humanitarian needs.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023–2027) serves as the primary platform through which the UN system supports Nigeria’s development priorities. As the countdown to 2030 enters its final phase, policymakers are increasingly turning to blended finance, private-sector investment and innovative funding mechanisms to close what experts describe as a multi-billion-dollar financing gap threatening the attainment of the SDGs.

2030 SDGs at Risk as Nigeria, UN Push Private Capital to Bridge Massive Funding Gap

Troops Recover Assault Rifle, Ammunition in Rivers Cult Hideout Raid

By Zagazola Makama

Troops of Operation UDO KA have recovered an assault rifle and ammunition during a targeted raid on a suspected cultists’ hideout in Obiakpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation was conducted at about 2:00 a.m. on July 13 in Ogbogoro community by troops of 34 Artillery Brigade following actionable intelligence.

According to the sources, a suspected cult member who had earlier been arrested led the troops to the hideout, where they recovered one Beretta AR-70 assault rifle and 45 rounds of 5.56mm ammunition.

The sources added that efforts are ongoing to track down and apprehend other members of the criminal gang who fled the area.

The recovery is part of ongoing operations by security forces under Operation UDO KA aimed at dismantling criminal and cult networks and improving security across Rivers State.

Troops Recover Assault Rifle, Ammunition in Rivers Cult Hideout Raid