Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates and guests,
We meet today in an international context marked by unprecedented challenges that affect us all, yet whose most severe consequences fall disproportionately on Small Island Developing States.
Millions of people die each year from hunger and preventable diseases. Alarms warning of an imminent climate catastrophe continue to be ignored. The external debt of developing countries—already paid many times over—continues to grow, accumulating astronomical interest as a new form of colonization. Colossal inequalities hinder sustainable development.
Action can no longer be delayed. Yet there has been no effective global response to the grave challenges we currently face.
Establish a new international order that guarantees the right to development and sovereign equality is more urgent than ever; one that provides prosperity for all in harmony with nature.
An order free from blockades and unilateral coercive measures, grounded in multilateralism and full respect for International Law.
In addition to the challenges Cuba faces as a Small Island Developing State, our country suffers the devastating and cumulative impact of the hostile and economically suffocating policy imposed by the United States for over six decades.
At the Fourth Conference on Small Island Developing States, we addressed vital issues for our nations, such as access to fair and sufficient financing for sustainable development and the need to strengthen resilience to natural disasters. UNCTAD can and must play a more prominent role in this context, promoting policies that support sustainable development and cooperation among our peoples.
I conclude by emphasizing that we, Small Island Developing States, must continue working together to address the challenges we share.
Despite the restrictions imposed by the economic blockade, Cuba will remain faithful to its solidarity-driven and humanist vocation.
We will continue to promote cooperation with AOSIS countries in various fields, particularly health, and share our modest experiences in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation. You can count on that.
Thank you.