New York, 31 January 2018. Mr. Juan Carlos Alfonso Fraga, Director of the Center for Population and Development Studies of the National Statistics Office of Cuba, participated as a guest panelist in the event "The Age of Aging", sponsored by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The event was also attended by recognized international experts from the United Kingdom, Georgia and the Republic of Korea.
At the meeting, held as part of the activities of the 56th session of the Commission for Social Development, the official said that according to international statistics Cuba is not only a country with a high level of human development, but also is the first in the world concerning dynamism in the growth of this indicator.
He indicated that the Cuban population maintains an upward trend towards ageing. In this regard, he explained that nearly 20% of Cubans are in an age range over 60 years, whereas by 2025 the elderly population will rise to 25%. He illustrated the issue by pointing out that this process, which in Europe took almost 200 years, in the Caribbean island has happened in a lapse of just six decades. Therefore, he said, elderly care has become a priority and has required intensive multidisciplinary and cross sector work.
The Cuban specialist noted that in recent years his country has achieved very low infant mortality rates, an indicator that at the end of 2017 reached only 4 deaths per 1,000 live births in the most industrialized countries. This meant that, at the same time, people's quality of life has significantly risen and life expectancy is now almost 79 years. It has been, he alleged, the triumph of life over death.
In like manner, he referred to the significance of population ageing in Cuba as a positive element and also as an opportunity and a challenge for the strengthening of public policies targeting elderly people. In this sense, he indicated that these policies have been widely and comprehensively included in the Conceptualization of the Cuban Economic and Social Model of Socialist Development and in the Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030.
At this point, the expert spoke about the progress achieved so far in legislative matters and their expression in everyday practice, on issues like social security, employment, pensions, health, protection in natural disasters and the system of research and collection of statistical data on this sector of the population.
He concluded by emphasizing that these realities have been made possible by the strong political willingness of the Revolutionary Government and the efforts of the entire people.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations