28 Oct 2025
Mdm President,
Distinguished Delegates,
1 Please allow me to begin with an expression of solidarity for the people in the Caribbean region who are directly in the path of Hurricane Melissa, the Category Five hurricane which has been identified as the strongest storm to hit the planet this year. As we gather today, the hurricane is expected to make landfall in Jamaica very soon and then head in the direction of Cuba. I pray for the safety of people in Jamaica, for the safety of the people in Cuba, and for the safety of the people in the many other island nations in the Caribbean region who are in the path of this destructive storm, which provides us very clear evidence, if any evidence is needed at all, that climate change is a reality.
Mdm President,
2 I am pleased to address the General Assembly today on behalf of the 11 Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, comprising namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Thailand, and Vietnam. We express our support for the draft resolution contained in document A/80/L.6 on the “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against the Republic of Cuba”. ASEAN also aligns itself with the statements to be delivered by Uganda on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by Iraq on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
Mdm President,
3 Since 1992, the General Assembly has consistently adopted this resolution by an overwhelming majority. The strong support of the UN membership for this resolution over the last three decades reflects the international community’s steadfast commitment to the principles enshrined in the UN Charter, namely sovereign equality, non-interference, non-intervention, and the peaceful settlement of disputes to preserve international peace, security, and justice.
4 This is also the tenth time that ASEAN has made a statement at the General Assembly urging the United States to lift its economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible. We reiterate our firm conviction that differences between States should be resolved through meaningful dialogue and engagement, rather than confrontation or isolation. This is the foundation of the multilateral, rules-based system, which all states have an interest and a duty to uphold.
5 At the heart of this matter are the Cuban people, whose daily lives have been profoundly affected by the embargo. The Secretary-General’s report reminds us once again of the devastating impact that the United States’ embargo has had on Cuba. Over the past six decades, the embargo has cost Cuba trillions of dollars. Between March 2024 to February 2025 alone, Cuba incurred more than US$7.5 billion in cumulative loss as a result of the embargo. The embargo has severely constrained Cuba’s imports, exports, and financial transactions, and has affected its ability to access foreign direct investments, purchase fuel supplies and raw materials, and attract tourists. For ordinary Cubans, this has translated into daily hardships, such as shortages of essential goods, power outages, and difficulties in accessing vital medical services.
6 It is particularly sobering to note that the majority of Cubans have lived their entire lives under this embargo. The Secretary-General’s report details the concrete and pervasive negative socioeconomic impact that it has had on Cuban families. The embargo also threatens to reverse the significant progress that Cuba has made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Mdm President,
7 The United States’ continued inclusion of Cuba in the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism has only served to reinforce and exacerbate the impact of the embargo. It has affected Cuba’s ability to access international financial institutions and participate in international trade. The restrictions on fuel exports to Cuba have also aggravated the country’s ongoing energy crisis and hampered its ability to deal more effectively with the region’s climate-related natural disasters, and which as I mentioned earlier, we are witnessing right now in the region.
Mdm President,
8 It has been 33 years since this General Assembly first adopted this resolution. It is time for a reset. We urge both sides to commit to open and constructive dialogue that is underpinned by mutual respect and common interests. ASEAN joins the other members of this Assembly in reiterating our call for the United States to lift its unilateral economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible, and to delist Cuba as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.
9 I thank you very much for your attention.
https://www.mfa.gov.sg/Overseas-Mission/New-York/Mission-Updates/Plenary...