During the Second Regular Session of the Executive Board of the UNDP/UNFPA/UNOPS, in the segment dedicated to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Ambassador Yuri Ariel Gala López, Chargé d'affaires, a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, reaffirmed the commitment of the Greater Antilles to multilateralism and international cooperation for development.
The Cuban diplomat pointed out that the effects of the climate crisis, the proliferation of armed conflicts and geopolitical tensions, as well as the holdovers of the Covid-19 pandemic, have increased inequalities and development needs.
At this juncture, he warned that financing is vital and recalled that today's international financial commitments to development are far from being met. He recalled that two-thirds of the 2030 Agenda targets are behind schedule and that achieving the SDGs would require mobilizing more than $4 trillion annually.
He argued that the persistent failure to deliver Official Development Assistance, coupled with the sharp cuts planned for 2025, is holding back the plans and strategies of developing countries. In view of this, he stressed that the financial resources allocated to development must be adequate, predictable, and flexible so that the UNDP can effectively fulfill its mandate and work, which are crucial to eradicating poverty.
He specified that, in these efforts, the work carried out by the UNDP is fundamental, given its experience in the field and the support it provides in strengthening the national capacities of our countries.
He also emphasized the need for reform processes in the United Nations system not to weaken the pillar of development. In this regard, he advocated that any reform should preserve the operational capacity of the system, without reducing its presence in the field or sacrificing development cooperation programs, especially in the most vulnerable countries.
Ambassador Gala López stressed that, in Cuba, cooperation with the UNDP has been fundamental in advancing the implementation of the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030, and reaffirmed the Caribbean nation's willingness to continue strengthening those ties.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations