New York, February 3, 2026 - Cuba’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán spoke during the segment dedicated to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS First Regular Session.
In his speech, the Ambassador highlighted the work of the UNDP in the current international context and reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to its mandate. The Cuban representative stressed that strengthening the impact of the Program is essential for sustainable development to become a tangible reality and not an unattainable goal for developing countries.
The Permanent Representative emphasized the importance of fulfilling international financial commitments to development. He noted that resources allocated to development must be adequate, predictable, and flexible in order to enable UNDP to effectively fulfill its mandate of eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity for all.
He also reiterated that any reform of the United Nations system must preserve the centrality of the development pillar and protect the initiatives, projects, and resources aimed at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, avoiding setbacks that could compromise the progress made.
Ambassador Soberón Guzmán highlighted that the UNDP has accompanied Cuba for more than five decades in its efforts toward sustainable development, contributing to addressing the challenges inherent to its status as a developing country, aggravated by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States Government, which has intensified to unprecedented levels.
In this context, he strongly condemned the new escalation of aggression by the United States against Cuba, now aimed at imposing a total blockade on fuel supplies, describing it as a brutal act that violates international law and threatens peace, stability, and any efforts toward sustainable development. He reiterated the call for support from the international community and the Executive Board for the approval of the Country Program Document (CPD), jointly prepared by the UNDP and the Cuban Government.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.