President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, as Chair of the Group of 77 and China, called for a Summit of Heads of State and Government under the theme "Current Challenges for Development: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation", during 15-16 september, 2023, in Havana.
According to today´s message in his Twitter account, the Cuban Head of State stated that "the ocassion should serve to strengthen our unity and to decide on collective and practical actions to effectively face modern challenges".
"With the warm welcome you deserve, we´ll be receiving in Havana all leaders of the Group of 77 and China. Each minute counts in the quest for solutions to the pressing problems of our peoples".
According to the issues to be discussed at the Summit, Díaz-Canel considered that "scientific and technological development, which is key to achieve sustainable development, is, however, inaccessible to an important part of humankind. The causes, the Cuban President highlighted, lies in the unjust world economic order that has exacerbated the social and economic marginalization of many nations, with serious consequences for the South countries.
Díaz-Canel considered as contradictory that "science, technology and innovation were in the front line of the response to the Covid-19 pandemic, while the benefits were not available to those who most needed them".
In order to change that scenario, he emphasized, it demands the forging of a more just relation and a truly democratic and inclusive order, that privileges international solidarity and cooperation.
"This is the main duty of the members of the G-77 and China, accounting for 80 per cent of the world’s population and more than two thirds of the United Nations membership, are called to do so", he added.
Cuba assumed the Chairmanship of the Group during 2023, the first time the Caribbean island leads the negotiation body of the development countries.
The Group of 77 and China was funded in 1964 and it´s the largest and most diverse negotiation body at the multilateral level, with 134 member States.
During this year, Cuba has been venue of important meetings related to Group of 77 and China, among them, the meetings of the Group ministers of Education, Culture and Tourism.