The general debate of the 11th session of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development was held on Thursday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Ambassador Daylenis Moreno Guerra, Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, reaffirmed Cuba's commitment to the 1986 United Nations Declaration on the Right to Development.
In her speech, the Cuban diplomat emphasized that development is not only a measurable goal, but also a fundamental human right. She also stressed that this right remains a distant aspiration for a large part of the world's population, particularly because of the obstacles created by the current international economic order.
In this regard, he called for the immediate restructuring of the international financial architecture on the basis of equity and non-discrimination and to ensure a more active participation of developing countries in international financial organizations.
It called for an alternative financial system that would allow for the de-dollarization of the international economy and for a multilateral legal framework for the negotiation of sovereign debt, and stressed the need for international cooperation in tax matters.
It called for the elimination of unilateral coercive measures against nations of the South, in violation of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, as a major obstacle to the full enjoyment of human rights, including the right to development.
It called for the immediate fulfillment of Official Development Assistance (ODA) commitments and redoubled efforts to promote the right to development, stressing the importance of solidarity and international cooperation, especially South-South cooperation.
He stressed the importance of Human Rights Council resolution 54/18, which refers the draft binding international instrument on the right to development to the General Assembly, which he described as a positive step in the right direction.
Finally, he reiterated Cuba's support for the United Nations mechanisms and special procedures responsible for promoting the right to development, including the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations