CUBA

	FY 1998 Actuals	FY 1999 Estimate	FY 2000 Request
Economic Support Funds	$2,000,000	$3,000,000	$3,000,000

Introduction

In 1995, President Clinton announced the first USAID grant aimed at promoting democratic transition in Cuba. The grant was authorized pursuant to the authority provided in the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 (sec. 1705g) which allows the U.S. government (USG) to provide assistance "though appropriate nongovernmental organizations, for the support of individuals and organizations to promote nonviolent democratic change in Cuba." The Cuban Liberty and Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996 (sec. 109a) further elaborates the types of assistance and support the Pres-ident is authorized to provide for individuals and independent nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to support democracy-building efforts for Cuba. Such assistance includes: published and informational matter--e.g. books, videos, and cassettes--on democracy, human rights and market economies, to be made available to independent groups in Cuba; humanitarian assistance to victims of political repression, as well as their families; support for democratic and human rights groups in Cuba; and sup-port for visits and permanent deployment of independent international human rights monitors in Cuba.

The overarching goal of U.S. policy toward Cuba is to promote a peaceful transition to democracy on the island. To that end, policy is proceeding on a multi-faceted track: pressure on the regime for change through the comprehensive economic embargo and LIBERTAD sanctions; outreach to the Cuban people; the promotion and protection of human rights; multilateral efforts to press for democracy; and migration accords to promote safe, orderly and legal migration.

The Development Challenge

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. As long as Castro remains in power, most analysts predict little intentional loosening of government controls. Once Castro is gone, however, the prospects for peaceful transition will hinge on the ability of a renascent Cuban civil society to help reconcile conflicts and prepare the population for peaceful democratic change.

A peaceful democratic transition in Cuba must stem from the successful initiatives of Cubans on the island who seek to build civil society and promote respect for human rights on the island. This will require that Cubans develop the means to peacefully reconcile conflicts during the transition--be they social, economic or political. Thus USAID supports NGO activities which open new avenues for promoting a peaceful democratic transition in Cuba, as well as those which build capability/knowledge of independent individuals and groups on the island that will contribute to a peaceful transition once the process of political change has begun.

Other Donors

Catholic, Protestant and Jewish religious organizations provide humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people. The Roman Catholic Church provides assistance to CARITAS CUBANA, one of the few independent Cuban nongovernmental organizations. In 1998, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and other donors delivered nearly $50 million in economic and humanitarian aid and made commitments of another $16 million.

FY 2000 Program

U.S. policy encourages U.S. NGOs and individuals to undertake humanitarian, informational and civil society building activities in Cuba with private funds, subject to applicable Treasury and Commerce Department regulations. Dozens of NGOs have been engaging in such activities over the past several years, with licensed humanitarian goods alone amounting to about $150 million. The level of planned USAID funding for section 109 activities in Cuba, which is relatively limited, is not meant to be utilized as a marginal supplement for activities that are already being effectively undertaken through private initiative. Rather, the intent of the USG funding is to support activities for which adequate private resources are not presently available, and which offer favorable prospects for serving a catalytic role or leverage for the promotion of a peaceful transition.

The requested $3,000,000 in ESF is intended to promote a peaceful transition to democracy in Cuba by building solidarity with Cuba's human rights activists, giving voice to Cuba's independent journalists, helping develop independent Cuban NGOs, defending the rights of Cuban workers, providing direct outreach to the Cuban people, and planning for assistance to a future transition government in Cuba.

CUBA

FY 2000 PROGRAM SUMMARY
($000s)

USAID Senior Advisor: David Mutchler

USAID Strategic and Special Objectives	Economic Growth & Agriculture	Population & Health	Environment	Democracy	Human Capacity Developmnt	Humanitarian Assistance	TOTALS
Sp.O. 1 Peaceful Transition to Democracy Promoted Through Dissemination of Information on Democracy & Human Rights - ESF	---	---	---	3,000	---	---	3,000
Totals - ESF	---	---	---	3,000	---	---	3,000

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ACTIVITY DATA SHEET

PROGRAM: Cuba
TITLE AND NUMBER: Peaceful Transition to Democracy Promoted Through Dissemination of Information on Democracy and Human Rights, 516-Sp001
STATUS: Continuing
PROPOSED OBLIGATION AND FUNDING SOURCES: FY 2000: $3,000,000 ESF
INITIAL OBLIGATION: FY 1997 ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE: FY 2005

Summary: 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. As long as Castro remains in power, most analysts predict little intentional loosening of government controls. Once Castro is gone, however, the prospects for peaceful transition will hinge on the ability of a renascent 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 and human rights to, from, and within Cuba. The Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 authorizes the President to provide assistance "through appropriate nongovernmental 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 key intermediate results were concluded to be necessary to achieve this objective:

(1) Cuba's Human Rights Activists: Books and other Informational materials 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: 5000 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 must be established with Cuban rank and file workers and international pressure brought to bear on the Cuban government to permit independent labor unions and to allow direct payment of workers by foreign firms; (5) Outreach to the Cuban people: Three thousand hours of AM radio programming on democracy and human rights will be transmitted to the entire island. Newsletters and other informational material will be provided directly to more than 150,000 Cuban citizens, through the international mails and via fax and e-mail; (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: In 1995, the President announced the first USAID grant to support this objective--a $500,000 award to Freedom House. Freedom House provided 40,000 Spanish language books, pamphlets and other materials to the Cuban people on issues such as human rights, transition to democracy and free market economics. During FY 1998, USAID provided grants to an additional twelve U.S. NGOs to continue promoting 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 1999, USAID grantees reported that they: transmitted informational materials to more than 100 human rights activists in Cuba; provided political prisoners and their families with more than 2,000 pounds of food and medicine; published more than 500 articles by Cuba's independent journalists; completed three exchange programs with Cuban independent NGOs; initiated international labor confederation discussions with the Cuban government concerning workers rights; and completed a plan for assisting a future transition government with the conduct of free and fair elections. Additional USAID programming will facilitate a significant expansion of these activities, leading to a better-informed Cuban population and a strengthening, increased reporting of government of Cuba human rights violations, and 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 country strategy development and approval will be completed during the next few months, 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 1998, Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and other donors delivered nearly $50 million in economic and humanitarian aid and made commitments of another $16 million.

Principal Grantees: American Center for International Labor Solidarity, Center for a Free Cuba, Cuba Free Press, Cuban Dissidence Task Group, Institute for Democracy in Cuba, International Foundation for Election Systems, International Republican Institute, Pan American Development Foundation, Partners of the Americas, Rutgers University, Sabre Foundation, University of Florida, U.S.-Cuba Business Council, Florida International University, and Freedom House.

Approvals Pending: CubaNet, National Policy Association, Cuba On-Line, Archdiocese of Miami: Pax Catholic Communications

Major Results Indicators:

	Baseline (FY 99)	Target (FY 2000)
Human rights activists provided with books and other informational materials	150 activists	250 activists
Food and medicine provided to political prisoners and their families and other victims of government repression	3,000 pounds	9,000 pounds
Articles by independent journalists published and disseminated	2000 articles	5,000 articles
Exchange programs completed with independent Cuban NGOs	3 NGOs	12 NGOs
AM Radio programming broadcast to the Cuban people	0 hours	3,000 hours
Cuban general population provided with newsletters and other factual information	75,000 citizens	150,000 citizens
Transition assistance plans completed	Assistance for Free Elections	Assistance for Food Security, Potable Water

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