Former Jamaican Prime Minister P. J. Patterson has called on countries across the Global South to overcome divisions and strengthen collective action in pursuit of a more equitable international order, using the centenary of Fidel Castro’s birth to renew his appeal for greater South-South solidarity.
Patterson delivered the message in a statement to the First International Colloquium “Fidel: Legacy and Future”, being held in Havana to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Castro’s birth. The four-day gathering, which opened Monday and concludes Thursday, has attracted more than 1,500 participants from approximately 60 countries.
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Although Patterson was unable to attend the event personally, he reflected on his longstanding relationship with Cuba and Castro, as well as the historic role Caribbean leaders played in ending Cuba’s diplomatic isolation in the region.
Patterson recalled the December 1972 summit in Port of Spain, where the leaders of the four independent Caribbean states at the time agreed to establish diplomatic relations with Cuba. He described the decision as an assertion of national sovereignty and a step toward creating what he called a “zone of peace” within the Caribbean.
The former prime minister also pointed to the decades of cooperation that followed, highlighting Cuba’s provision of medical personnel, scholarships, disaster assistance and technical expertise throughout the Caribbean and developing world.
Reflecting on Castro’s legacy, Patterson portrayed the late Cuban leader as a forceful advocate for national sovereignty and equality among states, regardless of their size or economic and military strength. He also highlighted Cuba’s role in Angola, arguing that the country’s military involvement contributed to the struggle against apartheid and supported wider political liberation in Africa.
Patterson acknowledged that Castro’s legacy remains complex and contested, but his message focused primarily on the former Cuban leader’s influence on developing nations and his advocacy for a more independent role for countries of the Global South in international affairs.
Turning from history to current global affairs, Patterson warned that the international system is facing another period of profound upheaval. He criticized what he described as a resurgence of great-power dominance, weakening multilateral institutions and disregard for international law.
Against that backdrop, he argued that countries of the Global South must move beyond individual national interests and develop stronger mechanisms for collective action.
“South-South solidarity is pivotal to our survival and future well-being,” Patterson declared, urging developing nations to work together toward a new global framework that is inclusive, equitable and sustainable.
He further used the occasion to condemn the economic restrictions imposed on Cuba, describing the US embargo and restrictions affecting the island’s access to fuel as unjust and harmful to the Cuban population. Patterson called on international actors to oppose the measures and provide assistance to Cuba.
His intervention comes as Cuba faces renewed economic and energy pressures, while the centenary celebrations have provided an international platform for supporters and former allies of Castro to revisit his political legacy and the country’s role in the developing world.
Patterson’s remarks also underscore the enduring relationship between Jamaica and Cuba, which has remained an important feature of Caribbean diplomacy since the establishment of formal relations in the 1970s.
The former Jamaican leader concluded his message by invoking one of Castro’s most famous declarations from his 1953 trial following the failed attack on the Moncada Barracks, asserting that history had ultimately vindicated the revolutionary leader.
For Patterson, however, the significance of the centenary extends beyond commemorating an individual. His broader appeal is for developing nations to draw lessons from decades of international relations and use collective strength to demand a greater voice in shaping the global system.
As the Havana colloquium brings together representatives from across the developing world, Patterson’s message places South-South cooperation at the centre of the debate over how smaller and developing nations can navigate an increasingly divided international landscape.
