Paris, April 15, 2025. At its 221st session, the UNESCO Executive Board considered the issue of the continuation of the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), a context in which Cuba added its voice in defense of this international organization.
In her intervention in the debate, Cuban Ambassador María del Carmen Herrera Caseiro denounced the Israeli government's decision to ban UNRWA's activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. "The ban on UNRWA, in addition to violating the United Nations Charter and Israel's obligations under international law, deepens the suffering of the Palestinian population," stated the Cuban representative.
She also highlighted UNRWA's crucial role in providing support and basic social services to Palestinian refugees, especially its education program. “In this work, UNRWA has historically enjoyed the support and collaboration of UNESCO, based on a shared commitment to providing inclusive, equitable, and quality education to Palestine refugees and to realizing the right to education for this vulnerable and besieged population,” the Cuban diplomat stated.
The debate in the Executive Board follows up on the decision adopted by the body at its eighth extraordinary session held in November 2024.