Relationship dossier
Canada
Cuba
Relationship assessment
Longstanding practical cooperation, alongside Canadian criticism of Cuba’s human-rights record
Canada toward Cuba
+35Canada has provided development assistance in Cuba and has repeatedly opposed the U.S. embargo on Cuba in international forums. The two governments also maintain an investment protection agreement. Canada has criticized Cuban government restrictions on political freedoms and its treatment of protesters.
Cuba toward Canada
+30Cuba maintains an investment protection agreement with Canada and engages in bilateral economic and development cooperation. The extent of Cuba’s implementation of these arrangements and other direct government cooperation with Canada is unclear.
Overall relationship
+35The relationship is sustained by bilateral economic arrangements, development cooperation, and Canada’s opposition to the U.S. embargo. Canadian criticism of restrictions on political freedoms in Cuba creates a recurring political tension, but the relationship has not been defined by broad bilateral confrontation.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Canada and Cuba maintain a longstanding relationship with practical economic and development cooperation. A bilateral investment protection agreement supports investment, and Canada has provided development assistance in Cuba. Canada has also opposed the U.S. embargo on Cuba in international forums. Differences over human rights and political freedoms remain a source of tension.
Areas of tension
- Canadian criticism of restrictions on political freedoms and treatment of protesters in Cuba
Key developments
Canada and Cuba signed a foreign investment protection agreement, which entered into force in 1999.
Major uncertainties
- The current scope and implementation of bilateral development cooperation are unclear.
- The extent of investment protection agreement use and related government cooperation is unclear.