"Change does not happen overnight, and normalization will be a long journey. The last 12 months, however, are a reminder of the progress we can make when we set the course toward a better future. Over the next year, we will continue on this path, empowering Cubans and Americans to lead the way," Obama said.
The US Congress should lift the remaining trade embargo against Cuba after Washington and Havana announced a civil aviation agreement allowing scheduled flights between the two countries, Barack Obama said.
"We are advancing our shared interests and working together on complex issues that for too long defined," Obama said. "Congress can support a better life for the Cuban people by lifting an embargo that is a legacy of a failed policy."
In December 2014, Obama announced the United States would normalize relations with Cuba. The two countries reopened embassies in their respective capitals in July, after more than 50 years of hostilities and non-engagement.
Despite the relief in tensions, the United States continues to maintain a trade embargo on Cuba mandated by the US Congress.
