UN Transcripts — https://transcripts.un.org/ar/asset/k10/k102qoclbu Francisco Pichon (Resident Coordinator) on Cuba's Grid Collapse and Launch of the Action Plan - Press Conference — 6 April 2026 Language: en Automatically generated transcript — may contain errors. Not an official United Nations record. --- UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [0:02]: All right, uh, thank you very much. We will, uh, ask our guest, uh, Mr. Pichon, the Resident Coordinator in Cuba, to come on the screen. Great, we see you. So, uh, Francisco, welcome and, uh, please, you go ahead, you have the floor and, uh, then we'll take some questions. Go ahead. Cuba · Resident Coordinator · Francisco Pichon [0:28]: Very good. Thank you so much. Uh, good morning and thank you for your attention, uh, today. I have been asked to update you on the current humanitarian situation in Cuba and the response, uh, the response that the United Nations system, uh, is, uh, deploying. Uh, the UN system, uh, together with the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, and also in very close dialogue with the national authorities, uh, just 10 days ago, uh, launched, uh, a restructured action plan in response to the ongoing energy contingency and the remaining impacts of Hurricane Melissa. Uh, we launched, uh, an action plan last November in response to Hurricane Melissa. Uh, as you know, this is not a conventional emergency. Uh, this restructured plan combines, uh, ongoing actions being originally implemented in response to Hurricane Melissa with a much broader and more integrated approach that places the energy crisis at the center of our response. Uh, the plan targets the critical needs of around 2 million people across 63, uh, municipalities in eight provinces in Cuba. Uh, as mentioned in an earlier briefing, uh, the energy crisis is having a rather systemic and multiplying humanitarian impact affecting all aspects of daily life in Cuba: health, uh, water and sanitation, food systems, education, transportation, uh, telecommunications. And the country has gone for more than, uh, three months without sufficient fuel and the humanitarian consequences, as you might expect, continue to, uh, to deepen every day despite, uh, recent efforts to deliver fuel by the Russian Federation. Uh, the situation comes on top of multiple shocks in just over a year, including Hurricane Melissa, two earthquakes in the eastern part, and several disconnections of the natural, of the energy power, the national power system. Uh, these are all combined with a fragile economic context, limited access to financial resources, and of course the ongoing external adverse environment that Cuba faces. Uh, the action plan accordingly, uh, underscores the need for fuel and energy backup solutions as enablers of our response. And for this reason, um, the UN is actively working with partners and member states to identify, uh, solutions that guarantee the viability of our operations. Uh, and at the same time, I should say we are exploring with other actors who can contribute logistical solutions, including fuel, and we are doing this with the private sector, uh, in Cuba. But, uh, the point is that humanitarian needs in the country remain quite acute and, and persistent. Uh, and they are not being resolved, uh, by the arrival of limited external fuel supplies, including the, as I mentioned, the recent oil shipment from the Russian Federation. And while, uh, any additional fuel may provide temporary relief, it is insufficient compared to the scale of the national needs and does not really address the structural nature of the oil blockade and how it affects all essential services. So access to fuel remains a determining factor for ensuring the operational viability of our plan. And for this reason, our plan is contemplated for an implementation to the end of the year and we will continue monitoring the humanitarian needs very closely to adapt and adjust our response as the situation evolves, always with a focus on the critical interventions to save lives. Uh, let me just say a little bit about the action plan. It's designed to complement the institutional, the plan is designed to complement the national response. It, it focuses on a traceable and equitable use of limited fuel resources, which we adapt to the specificities of each focus sector. And these sectors are logistics, which includes a working group on energy, health, water and sanitation, food security, shelter and protection of vulnerable populations, and education. Uh, there is a central cross-cutting pillar of the plan is the deployment of energy backup solutions, including solar-powered irrigation systems, solar panels for hospitals and schools, strengthening water pumping infrastructure to renewable energy, and prepositioning critical energy equipment to ensure continuity of the essential services. And these are solutions that are essential for life-saving services in a context of prolonged energy instability. The plan expands, uh, our previous response designed in response to Hurricane Melissa from 33 to 63 municipalities and the target population, as I mentioned, doubled from 1 million to 2 million people. Uh, and to implement this response, we are mobilizing as a target 94.1 million US dollars, of which today, uh, we have already mobilized 26.2 million, mostly from the previous, uh, Melissa response. And that means that we have a funding gap of about 60 million dollars. Uh, we believe this is a very critical window of opportunity to, to mobilize the additional resources and of course the role of the media is essential in raising awareness of the scale and, and the urgency of the situation that we face. Uh, I must say that since the last time I was here in this briefing, the humanitarian impacts of this energy shock have worsened. And, and maybe allow me to, to mention some, some figures that are quite indicative of the extent of the emergency. In, in March alone, for example, the national electrical system disconnected three times, leaving the country in, in the dark for day, two days, uh, while, um, the energy was, uh, recovered. We have over 96,000 surgeries that have been postponed, including more than 11,000 surgeries for children. The national immunization program is also delayed, affecting around 3,000 children. We have about 1 million people that depend on water trucking for drinking water and which are currently constrained by the fuel shortages. Uh, we have about 411,000 children and adolescents that are attending shortened school days. We have food security chains are all under severe stress because the lack of fuel affects, uh, the production, the irrigation, the collection, the preservation, and the commercialization processes in the food supply chains. And at the heart of the crisis are the most vulnerable groups. There are nearly 300,000 older people living alone in Cuba, more than 114,000 people with disabilities, almost 3,000 patients requiring hemodialysis, more than 32,000 pregnant women at risk due to instability in access to prenatal services. We have about 5 million people living in, with chronic illnesses who lack access to the required medications in a stable way. And as you know, Cuba is also the most aged country in Latin America and this obviously further intensifies those, uh, vulnerabilities. These are individuals who depend on functioning systems and they need doctors to reach health facilities, teachers to reach schools, and transportation systems to support children with disabilities and essential services. A final message, uh, is that our central objective as the UN in Cuba, uh, is, uh, really to protect life and support those in the greatest need. And, um, uh, this is really about ensuring that essential services continue to function even under the extraordinary constraints that we face. This is really about safeguarding dignity and above all, it's about saving lives and saving lives cannot really wait. Thank you, Stéphane. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [12:01]: Thank you very much. Uh, we'll go first to Edith Lederer. AP · UNCA · Edith Lederer [12:06]: Uh, thank you very much, Mr. Pichon, on behalf of the United Nations Correspondents Association for doing this briefing. My name is Edith Lederer from the Associated Press. Uh, one follow-up and one question. Uh, on Hurricane Melissa, apart from the 94 million dollars, has the United Nations been able to resume aid to the areas affected? And secondly, um, is the UN still having trouble getting aid in the warehouses at the port because of the gas shortages or since the, uh, United States has said it's allowing, uh, some in the private sector to import gasoline, has the United Nations been able to take advantage of this and import some gasoline as well? Thank you. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [13:23]: Go ahead, Francisco, please. Cuba · Resident Coordinator · Francisco Pichon [13:28]: Yes, thank you very much for those questions. Yes, of course, the, our, the implementation of our action plan in response to Hurricane Melissa has been affected severely by the fuel shortages. Uh, at the moment, I have information that about 170 containers of essential humanitarian goods that have already arrived in Cuba are in ports, uh, and, um, this is, this amounts to about 6.3 million dollars that are not reaching to beneficiaries because of the fuel shortages. And as I mentioned, as part of our efforts, we are at the moment, our humanitarian team is, uh, tendering a process to hire private operators who are able to import fuel in the country to support the transportation of these essential goods from the ports to the areas affected by Hurricane Melissa. So we are looking at all options, including working with the non-state sector or the private sector in Cuba that have been authorized and have been able to receive some limited fuel supplies. Uh, and, um, but recall the action plan that we have restructured includes the most essential activities to save life under Hurricane Melissa, but integrating the, uh, the energy shock as a central aspect of our response in our restructured plan. AP · UNCA · Edith Lederer [15:17]: But just as a follow-up, has the United Nations itself been given any authorization to import gasoline? Cuba · Resident Coordinator · Francisco Pichon [15:28]: Yes, at the moment, uh, there are ongoing dialogues, uh, between, uh, the UN Office of Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in New York, uh, with representatives of the, uh, US, uh, mission in the, at the UN, uh, to, and with support of some member states to try to secure concordance to be able to bring, uh, fuel to Cuba to support our humanitarian response and ensure that we can safeguard essential services. But we, uh, these are ongoing, these dialogues are ongoing and we hope that we have a solution soon, uh, to ensure the operational viability of our entire plan. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [16:31]: Thank you. Uh, Alex. Russian Federation · Alex [16:35]: Thank you so much, sir, for doing this. This is Alex with Russia's RIA Novosti news agency. I have a follow-up on what you just said. You've mentioned that you are exploring with actors, other actors, how they can contribute logical, uh, logistical solutions, I'm sorry, including fuel. Is it just private sector actors or some state actors? Thank you. Cuba · Resident Coordinator · Francisco Pichon [17:03]: Yes, um, yes, we, as I said, we are looking at different solutions. Our response plan is in complement to the efforts and the mobilization that the national authorities obviously are undertaking. Uh, it's an issue of fuel and, as I mentioned in my earlier response, but we are also working with, uh, private sector to ensure that we can support hospitals and schools with backup energy solutions that, you know, based on renewable resources as well. That's very part, that's a very important part of our response to mobilize energy alternative to safeguard essential services. And already in Cuba, there is quite developed private sector focusing on renewables and transition to renewable systems, which we are obviously working with to ensure that those are part of the solutions that we can generate as part of our response plan. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [18:19]: Thank you very much. Any other questions? Okay. Francisco, thank you very much and we hope to see you back, uh, soon. But thank you for coming here today. Thank you. Oh, sorry, Abdelhamid, yes, go ahead, Abdelhamid, go ahead. Al-Quds Al-Arabi · Abdelhamid Siyam [18:31]: Sorry, thank you, thank you. I'm sorry for that. Uh, my name is Abdelhamid Siyam from the Arabic daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi. Mr. Pichon, I have a few interrelated questions. First, can you tell us about the mood of the Cuban people? How, from your contact daily, on daily basis with the Cuban people, what are they anticipating? Are they expecting the worst to come? And the second, can you confirm that no more Venezuelan fuel coming into Cuba? And is Mexico also helping the Cuban people with some kind of fuel supplies? And my last question is, do you see that a kind of collective punishment for a whole people because there is a neighbor who doesn't like the system? And I know it's a political question and does that fall into a kind of war crime or crimes against humanity? Thank you. Cuba · Resident Coordinator · Francisco Pichon [19:34]: Yes, well, of course, the, the general mood of the population is a lot of frustration for the reduced delivery of essential services for the population, the increased hardship, uh, everyday life is much harder for people and communities in Cuba. Um, there has not been any Venezuelan fuel arriving in the country to the extent of my knowledge. Uh, I think the only fuel that has been received has been the one I referred to in my comments from the Russian Federation, which has been said is about 100,000 tons, about 700,000 barrels, that will be enough for needs of about 12 to 13 days. But no, no additional fuel has arrived except for the one that has been authorized for private sector activities. Uh, and, um, with respect to Mexico, yes, I mean, there has been Mexico is one of the member states that have been very much engaged in also helping find a solution to ensure that there is access to humanitarian oil for, for the humanitarian response for our action plan. Uh, and, um, but those discussions are taking place in, at the highest level and I've been told that that, you know, there could be a solution, but we, we are waiting because as I mentioned, the, the operational viability of our plan depends on access to humanitarian oil. Of course, we are making every effort to ensure that we work with private sector and are able to tap into, you know, working with private operators to be able to transport humanitarian goods to the areas affected by the hurricane or other areas affected by the, by the energy shock. But the scale obviously of the need is, is much, much greater than what could be resolved through these private operators in the country. Thank you. UN Secretariat · Spokesperson · Stéphane Dujarric [22:32]: Thank you very much. Uh, Francisco, thank you and we hope to see you back, uh, soon. But thank you for coming here today. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.