New York, October 13, 2017. During her statement on Item 138 of the agenda of the United Nations Fifth Committee, entitled “Improving the Financial Situation of the United Nations”, Cuban Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodriguez Abascal, Cuba’s Deputy Permanent Representative to that institution, thanked the recognition received --together with other 30 countries-- for having fulfilled all their financial obligations to the Organization. She emphasized the obstacles and sacrifices that the Island has faced in order to discharge its obligation, because of the United States blockade, a unilateral policy that violates the norms and principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations, affects and makes difficult the payment of Cuba’s assessments to the Organization and to other international bodies.
She added that despite this siege that seeks to isolate Cuba, her country keeps its firm commitment to multilateralism, which it is proven not only in its active participation in the work of the United Nations, but also in its political will to fulfill its financial obligations.
The Cuban diplomat highlighted the efforts by many Member States to fully comply with their payment obligations, particularly the developing countries, as they are the most affected by the current global economic and financial situation, while she also called to take into account the special situations faced by certain developing countries, which prevent them from fulfilling their financial commitments, regardless of their political will.
Once more the representative of the Island expressed concern over the fact that that the larger debts to the budgets of the United Nations continue to focus around one Member State. It is, by the way, the same State that benefits from the main distortion in the methodology for the calculation of the scale of assessments and obtains substantial profits for hosting this Organization in its territory.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.