During the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Segment on Operational Activities for Development, on the UNSDG Chair's report on the Development Coordination Office and the Resident Coordinator System, Cuba's Chargé d'Affaires, a. i. to the United Nations, Ambassador Yuri Ariel Gala López, reaffirmed Cuba's support for strengthening the development system with sufficient, predictable, and unconditional funding.
The Cuban representative acknowledged the progress the Resident Coordinator System has made in improving the coherence of the development system, as well as its growing capacity to support national priorities. However, he expressed concern that, six years after the system's repositioning, there is still inadequate funding for an essential function within the reformed system.
Ambassador Gala López reiterated Cuba's call for developed countries to fulfill their historical commitments to supporting development. At the same time, he emphasized that insufficient funding levels cannot justify shifting the financial burden to developing countries or reducing agencies' operational impact in the field.
The Cuban diplomat rejected any attempt to increase the coordination tax on projects to finance the System, as this would reduce the amount of money available to benefit local populations. He emphasized that this situation conflicts with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, nullifying the commitments established in the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR), the 2030 Agenda, and the Funding Compact.
"A reduction in operational impact in the field due to budgetary constraints directly affects the credibility of the UN system," said Ambassador Gala López. She affirmed that "in times of crisis and constraints, the response must be more cooperation and solidarity" because doing otherwise would mean abandoning the promise to leave no one behind.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations