Geneva, 13 February. On the eve, the Group of Latin American and Caribbean countries met with the Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Amy Pope.
Organized by the Bahamas, the meeting was an opportunity to take stock of the Organization's recent work in the areas of internal accountability, transparency, and promotion of Member States' priorities such as the establishment of regular and legal channels for migration and the effects of climate change as a factor of mobility.
During the meeting, the Permanent Representative of Cuba in Geneva, Ambassador Juan Antonio Quintanilla Román, reiterated the Caribbean island's commitment to the Organization and to contributing to an open and balanced debate on migration and its root causes, particularly when these are the result of different levels of development among countries, poverty, lack of opportunities, the severe impacts of climate change or conflicts.
In this spirit, the Cuban representative called to consider another major cause of mobility in affected countries of our region, the impact of the illegitimate application of unilateral coercive measures.
Cuba joined the International Organization for Migration on 28 November 2017, during the 108th Council of the Organization.
Permanent Mission of Cuba in Geneva