The President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in his capacity as President Pro Tempore of the G-77 + China Group, convened a Summit of Heads of State and Government under the theme "Current development challenges: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation", on September 15 and 16, 2023, in Havana.
According to a message posted this morning on his Twitter social network account, the Head of State said that "the occasion should serve to strengthen our unity and decide on collective and practical actions to effectively confront contemporary challenges."
With the warm welcome they deserve and we are excited to lavish on them, he pointed out, we will be receiving all the leaders of the Group of 77 and China in Havana. “Every minute counts in the search for a solution to the pressing problems of our peoples,” he affirmed.
In keeping with the topic to be discussed at the Summit, Díaz-Canel considered that "scientific-technical progress, which is key to achieving sustainable development, is, however, inaccessible to a large part of humanity." The causes, he stressed, lie in the unfair international economic order, which has exacerbated the socioeconomic and scientific-technical marginalization of many countries and within them, with serious consequences for the nations of the South.
The Cuban president, in his call to the meeting, considered a paradox that "science, technology, and innovation were on the front line of response to the COVID-19 pandemic, while its benefits were unattainable for those most in need." .
Changing this scenario, he emphasized, requires the construction of a fairer relationship and a truly democratic and inclusive order, which favors international solidarity and cooperation.
“The members of the Group of 77 and China, which together represent 80% of the world population and more than two thirds of the membership of the United Nations, are urgently needed,” he said.
Cuba assumed the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Group in January of this year, which was the first time that the Caribbean Island leads this negotiating bloc of developing countries. The G77 + China, which emerged in June 1964, is the largest and most diverse consultation group in the multilateral sphere, with 134 member states.
During this year, Cuba has hosted important events related to the G-77 + China, including the meetings of the Group's Ministers of Education, Culture and Tourism.