President Obama has announced the United States will restore full diplomatic relations with Cuba for the first time in more than half a century. In a historic address Wednesday, Obama announced the shift would include the opening of a U.S. embassy in Havana.

President Obama: “First, I’ve instructed Secretary Kerry to immediately begin discussions with Cuba to re-establish diplomatic relations that have been severed since January of 1961. Going forward, the United States will re-establish an embassy in Havana, and high-ranking officials will visit Cuba. Where we can advance shared interests, we will, on issues like health, migration, counterterrorism, drug trafficking and disaster response.”