This Thursday, the organizational meeting of the Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24) was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. The event was attended by the Secretary General of the United Nations, António Guterres.
Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, reiterated his gratitude for the support and confidence shown in his election as Vice-Chair of the Special Committee on Decolonization. At the same time, he congratulated his counterpart from Saint Lucia on her election as Chair and his colleagues from Indonesia, Sierra Leone and Syria, who will serve as Vice-Chairs.
He reaffirmed his country’s unwavering commitment to the self-determination and independence of all colonized countries and peoples. It noted the importance of continuing to review the implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. In this regard, he reiterated that Cuba will continue to defend the inalienable right to self-determination and independence of the brotherly people of Puerto Rico.
Soberón Guzmán, referred to the persistence of the vestiges of colonialism, with new modalities. He reaffirmed the island’s commitment to continue working to complete the process of decolonization and to defend the rights of colonial peoples.
The C-24 was established by the General Assembly in 1961 as a subsidiary body to deal with decolonization issues, pursuant to General Assembly Resolution 1654 (XVI) of 27 November 1961.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations