The Cuban flag was hoisted above Cuba’s embassy in Washington on July 20 in a symbolic move marking a new milestone in US-Cuba relations. The flag raising ceremony was attended by the two countries’ leaders and nearly 5,000 officials. The same day, in Havana, the US Embassy was reopened but the flag hoisting ceremony was postponed until US Secretary of State John Kerry visits Cuba next month.

The reopening of embassies is important not only to the two countries’ relationship but also to the international political situation marking the end of a decades-long hostile and confrontational relationship and the start of a dialogue aimed at peace and development.

Failure of an old-fashioned policy

The international community, especially Latin America and peace lovers throughout the world have applauded this event saying it eliminates the last traces of the Cold War.

The Cuba-US relationship has always been a focus of international relations. Long-lasting hostile policies and embargoes obstructed Cuba’s development and obsessed generations in the two countries, even though, Cuban people have, over the past 5 decades, united under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba headed by Fidel Castro and President Raul Castro and demonstrated the failure of the US’s hostile policy that aimed to isolate Cuba.

After taking office in 2008, President Barak Obama said that the US embargo on Cuba over the years hasn’t worked as expected. The US President said he was ready to hold dialogues with Havana to improve bilateral ties. Changes in Obama’s external policy, strong reform policies in Cuba and wide support from the international community motivated the two countries to eliminate hostility and confrontation and move toward cooperation.

Challenges lie ahead

Cuba and the US are taking cautious steps in going forward because everything has just begun. It’s not easy for them to overcome decades-long hostility and it’s a challenging and complicated path for them to normalize their relations and remove embargoes, which needs to be approved by the US Congress. President Obama will end his term in two years and may not have enough time to gain support from the Republicans who hold a majority in both houses of Congress. But the Cuban and American people can be optimistic about further progress in their bilateral ties following recent positive developments including the US’s removal of Cuba from its list of terrorism-sponsoring states.

The restoration of the US-Cuba relationship closes the last chapter of the Cold War and opens a new chapter for peace, stability and development in the region and the world. The normalization of relations between the two feuding nations after more than half a century sends a strong message of peace and mutual respect.