On Tuesday, the Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Yuri Ariel Gala López, participated in the Dialogue with the Secretary-General on the implementation of the Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) of operational activities for development of the United Nations system, within the framework of the operational activities for development segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
During his remarks, Ambassador Gala López stressed that the repositioning of the UN development system must strengthen the development pillar, respect national leadership, and prioritize poverty eradication, as established in resolution A/RES/79/226.
Ambassador Gala López expressed concern over the alarming 16% reduction in financial contributions to the Development System in 2023, representing a loss of 9 billion dollars. This reduction is particularly evident in the shortage of basic resources, revealing the lack of political will among many developed countries to fulfill their commitments to the global South development.
The Cuban diplomat noted that the Development System is facing ever greater financial restrictions while being asked to be more efficient, coordinated, and ambitious. Gala López stated that the so-called "development crisis" is not only a consequence of multiple global crises but also the result of not fulfilling historical commitments to support development. It is also caused by the persistence of conditionalities, imposed priorities, and resistance to allocating resources through common, flexible, and predictable financing mechanisms.
Gala López stated that developing countries cannot continue to subsidize an international financial architecture that marginalizes them and emphasized the urgent need to correct the current financial imbalance.
Finally, Ambassador Gala López said, "Cuba reaffirms its call to strengthen the development pillar of the United Nations with sufficient, predictable, and unrestricted resources. Only in this way will it be possible to move toward fair, equitable, and truly transformative international cooperation."
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations