New York, July 17, 2018.Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, led the Cuban delegation to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which is held from July 14-18 in the World Headquarters.
In his statement at the Forum's general debate, the Cuban Minister emphasized that three years after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, inequality and polarization persist and are even worsening in a world where there are resources to address underdevelopment and poverty, as evidenced by multi-million dollar annual military expenditures worldwide. This, he added, indicates that what has been lacking is genuine political will and the commitment of the most powerful States to fulfill their international responsibilities.
Malmierca, who in his address emphasized the causes that prevent all member States from fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals or the 2030 Agenda, called for working to achieve a new world order based on justice, equity and peace. At the same time, he rejected attempts to erode existing multilateral mechanisms, as only through joint and global efforts the serious problems facing humanity will be solved. These global commitments include the acceptance by today's industrialized countries of their historical debt and the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities".
The senior official also referred to the devastating impact of the environmental crisis plaguing the planet, which particularly affects developing countries, including small island states. He also indicated that no country should unilaterally renounce its common international responsibility, its historical responsibility, or forget its ecological debt to humanity and future generations.
The Cuban Minister called to consolidate a genuine and effective global partnership for development in order to mobilize the necessary resources for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.