Mr. President,
Almost 20 years have passed since the UNGA adopted resolution 60/251, by which this Council was created, in response to the pressing need to dissolve the discredited, politicized, and useless Commission on Human Rights.
We agreed at the UN that the Council would base its work on the principles of universality, impartiality, objectivity, and non-selectivity. Regrettably, this has not been the case.
The Council appears to have failed to learn from the mistakes that led to the failure of the former Commission. Selective and punitive approaches continue to prevail instead of constructive dialogue and respectful, non-interference cooperation.
At this Council session, the Cuban delegation will continue to advocate for returning to the path agreed upon 20 years ago.
At this session, Cuba will present the draft resolution entitled "Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order." The establishment of this new international order is a necessary condition for ensuring the protection and full realization of all human rights for all, including the right to development.
Likewise, the Cuban delegation will present a draft resolution to renew the mandate of the Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries as a Means of Violating Human Rights and Impending the Exercise of the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination.
The work of this Group is essential to continue strengthening the identification and effective confrontation of all forms of mercenarism, including in the digital sphere.
We invite all delegations, civil society organizations, and other relevant actors to participate actively and constructively in the consultations we will convene on both texts.
In addition, Cuba will organize a side event to exchange views and identify new concrete actions to be undertaken by the Council to document, highlight, and address unilateral coercive measures.
The unjust, inhumane, and illegal nature of these measures is incompatible with the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and international law.
We will soon share details about this event, in which we hope to welcome the participation of all interested delegations.
I conclude by reaffirming that in this session, the Cuban delegation will continue to advocate for a process aimed at increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and rationality of the Council's work.
This process must include the reduction and eventual elimination of various selective and interventionist mandates and mechanisms against developing countries that, in addition to being excessively costly and onerous, have proven for years to be completely ineffective in promoting and protecting human rights.
Thank you very much.