New York, 27 May 2020. Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodriguez Abascal, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations and Chargé d´Affaires a.i., participated today in the Dialogue with UN Deputy Secretary-General and Heads of entities, as part of the ECOSOC Operational Activities for Development Segment, which took place under the theme: Working together to accelerate Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) progress during the Decade of Action and in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
During said virtual meeting, the Cuban representative emphasized that the COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the significance of a repositioned UN development system that can better support developing countries and advance the sustainable development goals, according to their national needs and priorities, in full respect of national sovereignty, independence, national ownership and leadership.
She additionally mentioned the immediate and longer-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on developing countries which will reverse hard-won development gains over the past decades. She stressed that South-South cooperation can play a significant contribution in our collective endeavors to accelerate SDG progress during the Decade of Action and combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
She also condemned how unilateral coercive measures have grave humanitarian and socioeconomic adverse impacts upon affected countries. They obstruct the capacity of affected States to acquire medical equipment and supplies for fighting the pandemic, which are essential for guaranteeing the rights to life and health. She explained that such measures violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations and human rights such as the right to food, particularly relevant at the current global context.
Moreover, she mentioned that these measures hamper and obstruct the ability of the UN system to support on the ground the effective implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and the work of the UN country team, in order to advance the sustainable development goals, according to national needs and priorities.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations