New York, 30 May 2017. As part of the 2017Annual Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS, Cuba valued today its good cooperation relations with UNDP, as well as, the praiseworthy work carried out by Mrs. Helen Clark in administering such program of the Organization. Within this framework, the Deputy Director of International Economic Bodies at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Carlos Fidel Martín Rodríguez, wished that the UNDP continues to implement its operational strategy on a straight-line basis, under the mandate, reason and social object of its existence: development.
The Cuban representative made clear that in practice, the tendency to offer priority to non-basic resources to allocate them in a conditioned way to targeted activities, not necessarily development-related, continues to bias the general mandate of UNDP. Likewise, he commented that the pretention to turn UNDP offices into a supranational instrument comprising attention to other pillars beyond development, under international cooperation programs and projects, is neither viable nor sustainable.
He alerted that such approaches attempt against States’ national sovereignty and that they are activities and functions that should be treated by other UN specialized bodies or entities to such effects and with full respect for sovereign rights of Member States.
In reference to Cuba, he stated that the nation affirms its commitment with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 SDGs, at the time he highlighted the hard work the country sets forward as to their articulation with the National Economic and Social Development Plan, as of our Vision, Strategic Axes and Sectors defined up to 2030.
While reiterating Cuba’s support, he underscored that only international collaboration work under the principles of world solidarity and shared responsibility, applying a broad and effective resource mobilization policy together with South-South and Triangular cooperation, as complement and not as substitute of the North-South, may put an end to worldwide poverty, leaving nobody behind, and hence, reach sustainable and inclusive development by 2030.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations