On the occasion of the United Nations Day for South-South Cooperation, Cuba reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to solidarity and international cooperation as essential pillars of its foreign policy.
In its statement, the Permanent Representative of the Cuban Mission to the United Nations, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, highlighted the full validity of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action and the final documents of Nairobi and BAPA+40 (Buenos Aires Plan of Action +40), in a global context marked by multiple crisis, poverty, inequality, geopolitical conflicts, food insecurity, climate change, and the challenges of an unjust international economic order.
The Cuban diplomat denounced that, instead of promoting cooperation, unilateral coercive measures against developing countries are proliferating. He pointed out that our country suffers from the most prolonged and comprehensive system of sanctions ever imposed on any nation, with the US blockade as the main obstacle to its development. Added to this is the arbitrary inclusion of the country on the list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism and the smear campaigns against the Cuban medical cooperation, which affect the health and well-being of millions of people inside and outside the island.
The Cuban Ambassador recalled that, since 1963, more than 605,000 Cuban health professionals have provided their services in 165 countries, with 24,000 active collaborators in 56 nations, mainly in the Global South. He also highlighted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuba sent 58 medical brigades to 42 countries and territories, guided by principles of solidarity, respect for national sovereignty, equality, complementarity, and mutual benefit.
At the same time, he emphasized that, despite the challenges, Cuba will not renounce its commitment to solidarity in key sectors such as health, education, science, technology and innovation, combating climate change, and disaster response.
In addition, he stressed that South-South cooperation is a complement, not a substitute, for North-South cooperation, and urged the strengthening of international collaboration as an indispensable means of advancing toward peace, prosperity, and sustainable development, with only five years left to fulfill the 2030 Agenda.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations