New York, October 25, 2018.In her statement on Agenda Item 76 of the UN, Report of the International Court of Justice, the Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative of Cuba to the world organization, Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, reiterated the pacifist vocation of the island and its full adherence to international law, as well as its commitment to faithfully comply with international obligations arising from the treaties to which it is a party.
The senior official explained that Cuba has recognized the work of the International Court of Justice since its inception, considering it as an important source of Public International Law. The island, which welcomes the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with article 33.1 of the Charter of the United Nations, has declared submission, with prior consent, to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.
Rodríguez Abascal also expressed her concern about the effectiveness and enforceability of the judgments of the Court, because some countries still do not recognize unfavorable judgments. She explained that this happens due to the refusal of those nations to comply with the judgments pronounced and the hindering of available mechanisms of the United Nations to enforce the judgments, using the privilege of the right to veto in the Security Council.
She regretted the existence of Court judgments without execution, in clear violation of Article 94 of the Charter of the United Nations, which establishes that each member of the UN undertakes to comply with the decision of the International Court of Justice in any case to which it is a party. In her view, this shows the need to reform the United Nations system, in order to grant greater guarantees to developing countries with regard to powerful nations, which also extends to that institution.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations