Mr. President,
Distinguished Permanent Representatives and guests,
We thank, on behalf of the Government of Cuba, the convening of this Summit on Biodiversity, in an extremely adverse context of global health crisis caused by COVID-19.
His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, recently warned that the pandemic has caused a 25-year setback in the search for solutions to important global problems.
It is not difficult to predict that it will also cause new and greater damage to biodiversity, aggravating the existing degradation of ecosystems.
In this context, the post-2020 global biodiversity framework is being negotiated, which should serve for the performance of production sectors and establishing a real commitment of financial resources, knowledge and technologies in favor of developing countries.
At the national level, Cuba continues giving priority to the enjoyment of a healthy and balanced environment, supported by the new Constitution.
The implementation of the National Program on Biological Diversity 2016-2020 has allowed progress in the sustainable management and restoration of marine-coastal and terrestrial ecosystems; actions to prevent and confront illegalities that affect biological diversity have increased by the adoption of a Governmental Plan to address this problem, and the National System of Protected Areas, which covers 20.4 percent of the national territory, has been strengthened.
In light of 2030, in the National Plan of Economic and Social Development we set other goals such as increasing forest areas by up to 33 percent, water reuse by 15 percent, gradual reduction of single-use plastic and other sources of land pollution; renewable energy production up to 24 percent, as well as the implementation of financial solutions that contribute to the fulfillment of national biodiversity goals.
Our will to make progress in this field will be maintained despite the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States, which has been tightened by the current Administration. Without the blockade, Cuba would have, for these purposes, more access to financial resources, supplies and technologies, and fewer limitations for the development of its international cooperation, especially South-South cooperation.
I wish to conclude with confidence and optimism that humanity will react to the enormous challenges we face and man will fight to keep nature safe as an inseparable part of our lives, as well as its waters, resources, flora and fauna.
If we join together and work in a supportive and sustained manner, we will achieve this!
Thank you.