Mr. President,
Cuba reaffirms its concern over the impact of armed conflict on children. The outlook is not positive.
Global military spending has increased sharply for nine consecutive years, reaching the historic record of USD 2.46 trillion.
Announcements of increased military spending for the coming years in the United States and NATO countries are the largest in history.
While exorbitant resources are being squandered on weapons and conflicts continue to escalate, the world has stepped back three decades in the fight against extreme poverty. Child hunger has reached levels unseen since 2005. Over 450 million children worldwide live in or have fled conflict zones.
In Gaza, Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people with impunity, with the support of the United States and the complicit silence of others. More than 47,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, including some 18,000 children.
Countless others, no one knows how many, remain missing under 42 million tonness of rubble, which will take more than a decade to clear out.
The report presented by the Special Representative does not reflect the severity of the situation. Much more can and should be done to shed light on the catastrophic situation of Palestinian children.
Thank you.