Paris, 20 June. During her statement at the Tenth Conference of Parties (COP10) of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, Indira M. Fajardo Ramírez, President of the Cuban Institute of Music, reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to the effective implementation of Article 16 of the instrument, which calls for the provision of preferential treatment for developing countries.
The Cuban representative welcomed the progress made by the Intergovernmental Reflection Group and the adoption of five key recommendations for the implementation of this article, approved at the 18th meeting of the Convention’s Committee. Nevertheless, she expressed Cuba’s concern about the persistent imbalance in the global trade of cultural goods and services, where the Least Developed Countries account for only 0.5% of global trade, while developed countries concentrate around 95%.
In her statement, Fajardo Ramírez highlighted the importance of paying special attention to the particular situation of Small Island Developing States, given their vulnerabilities and limited capacities, as well as the urgent need to translate the adopted recommendations into concrete actions to balance cultural flows worldwide.
“An effective implementation of Article 16 is key to fostering sustainable development and alleviating the burden that countries of the Global South bear in the fight against poverty. Strengthening our cultural industries — by creating and reinforcing production and distribution capacities — not only balances the market but also contributes to social cohesion and economic progress,” she affirmed.
The President of the Cuban Institute of Music also reiterated Cuba’s support for the plan to implement the recommendations and called on the Committee to continue its work, within the limits of the human and financial resources available, and to report on progress to the Conference of Parties at its 11th session.
Finally, she reaffirmed Cuba’s conviction that only through unity and solidarity will it be possible to ensure that artists, cultural professionals, and communities from all regions can participate fairly and equitably in the global creative exchange.
COP10 of the 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions is being held from 18 to 20 June at UNESCO Headquarters, marking the 20th anniversary of the Convention, a key instrument for the protection and promotion of cultural diversity worldwide.