ABSTRACT
The Cuban government wanted the new world that was emerging from the decolonization struggles of the 1950s to embrace the Cuban revolution as one of its own. It struggled to gain the recognition and support of Nasser's Egypt. These efforts to obtain recognition from Egypt would not only be characterized by moments of profound identification but also at times a clear realization that the two countries' revolutionary processes were very different. The Cubans, for their part, were never reticent in demonstrating to Nasser their readiness to establish an alliance with the Afro-Asian bloc in whatever shape or form it could be constructed, be it a diplomatic force within the United Nations or even a military alliance. It would take Nasser nearly ten years to begin a redistributive process in the industry and service sectors, and this was more of a reaction to economic conditions in Egypt—and the rest of the Third World—than the product of his ideological commitments.
