New York, 31 May 2017. In debate dedicated to the UNDP Strategic Plan (2018-2021), celebrated during the 2017 Annual Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS, the Deputy Director of International Economic Bodies at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, Carlos Fidel Martín Rodríguez, made accurate considerations related with the first draft of the given plan, highlighting the importance that the UNDP offers priority and keeps up the attention to development-related issues as main task and core of its activities.
Furthermore, he referred to the approach to condition and limit assistance for the 2030 Agenda only to countries affected by conflict, post-conflict and under humanitarian crisis, as well as least-developed countries. In this regard, he pointed out that the situation of the majority of the other developing countries shall not be overlooked, which also have great problems and challenges in terms of development.
The Cuban representative referred to the role and empowerment of the Resident Coordinator and considered that the possibility to widen its functions to other activities outside its Mission may diminish the mandate, capacity of action and specializing in development-related issues, which shall continue to have priority.
Among other elements, Martín Rodríguezcalled to seriously endeavor to search for the causes of conflicts, rather than their symptoms, which are very much related to the poverty situation. Within such context, he called upon the UNDP to efficiently implement its comparative strengths as development agency and assist countries in conflict.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations