What the new US-Cuba deal means for organised crime and security

The US hasn't provided any specific details about what a historic new deal with Cuba means in terms of security and counternarcotics policy -- an area where limited collaboration between the two countries already exists -- but the restored relationship is nonetheless promising on many fronts.

According to a fact sheet released by the White House, meant to accompany President Barack Obama's announcement that the United States has re-established relations with Cuba, the United States will now "work with Cuba on matters of mutual concern and that advance US national interests, such as migration, counternarcotics, environmental protection, and trafficking in persons, among other issues."

In the short term, this could simply mean that pre-existing cooperation between the US and Cuba intensifies when it comes to counternarcotics efforts. The two countries already share information with each other about maritime drug trafficking on a case-by-case basis, as detailed by the US State Department.

A more dramatic move would be if the US should actually begin providing anti-drug aid to the island -- something that is not currently done. Cuba presented a draft counternarcotics agreement to the US in 2011, which has remained under review since then.

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