COVID-19: Nigerian envoy leads humanitarian support for Cuba

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Cuba, Amb. Benaoyagha Okoyen, has been chosen to lead the African Group of Ambassadors in humanitarian support for Cuba to help the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Okoyen told the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the support was necessary to help Cuba out of the pandemic that has ravaged the Caribbean country.

The Nigerian envoy said that the African Group of Ambassadors had agreed to raise funds to support Cuba in the face of its current challenges.

Okoyen, who is concurrently accredited to Bahamas, Honduras and Nicaragua, said that the support would be more in kind than in cash. “We are looking at support in terms of items, not cash; ventilators and other items through the UN Development Programme,’’ he said.

Okoyen, who was the immediate past Consul-General of Nigeria in New York, was also the Coordinator of African Consuls-General in New York until his posting to Cuba.

Meanwhile, Okoyen hosted Nigerians in Cuba to celebrate Nigeria’s 61st Independence Anniversary where he urged them to continue to be good ambassadors and support their home government.