Mission and Members of Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba

Mission

On October 10, 2003, President Bush established the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba (CAFC) and named Secretary Powell as Chairman. The Commission was directed to report to the President by May 1, 2004, with recommendations on developing a comprehensive program to:

1. Bring about a peaceful, near-term end to the dictatorship;
2. Establish democratic institutions, respect for human rights, and the rule of law;
3. Create the core institutions of a free economy;
4. Modernize infrastructure; and
5. Meet basic needs in the areas of health, education, housing, and human services.

Five working groups, consisting of agencies with relevant authority and expertise, developed recommendations for the President in these five topic areas. This report was released to the public on May 6, 2004.

The Commission continues to welcome information, views, and opinions from U.S. Government entities, interested individuals, foreign governments, international experts, and non-governmental organizations.

Members

Commission members include all Cabinet level agencies. The core agencies responsible for day-to-day operations of the Commission include, the Secretary of State (Chairman); Secretary of Housing and Urban Development; Secretary of the Treasury; Secretary of Commerce; Secretary of Homeland Security; the Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs; the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, or their designees. The core group will undertake the day-to-day work of the Commission. Any and all U.S. Government agencies can be called upon to provide support to the Commission's work through the authority granted it by National Security Presidential Directive 29 to create and task working groups.

Secretary Powell, as Chairman, designated Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roger Noriega, to oversee the day-to-day operations of the Commission.