New York, 20 October 2016. At the General Assembly Plenary, under Agenda item: “Commemoration of the abolition of slavery and the transatlantic slave trade”, the Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodríguez Abascal, noted that slave trade and the legacy of slavery are the root causes of profound social and economic inequalities, hatred, fanaticism, racism and prejudice that today continue to affect people of African descent.
The Cuban diplomat underscored that Cuba feels extremely proud of its African roots, present in our idiosyncrasy and cultural manifestations. Thus, she added that in the different stages of wars where the Cuban people were allowed to exercise self-determination, free slaves and their descendants played a major role.
“Despite the economic, commercial and financial Embargo against Cuba, our country will maintain its cooperation programs with African and Caribbean nations as well as with other third world countries, as part of the joint efforts to reverse the consequences of slave trade and other shameful chapters of capitalism in its colonial, neocolonial and financial transnational domination stages.”, she highlighted.
After stating that Slavery and the transatlantic slave trade are the most serious crimes perpetrated against humanity that have not been properly addressed, and their consequences have not been duly recognized in the current society, the Ambassador reaffirmed the importance of further strengthening the activities of the United Nations and of other international organizations such as UNESCO on this matter, as the least the international community can do to remedy the crime against humanity committed with slavery and the transatlantic slave trade. (Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations)