Your Excellency Mister Askar Mamin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Your Excellencies Heads of Government and heads of delegations, I thank Kazakhstan, which currently holds the chairmanship of the Eurasian Economic Union, for the invitation to participate in this meeting. I am confident that I will have the chance to attend future meetings in person, which was not possible this time due to the international epidemiological situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. We want to acknowledge the Eurasian Economic Commission for their work in the organization of this meeting, in particular the work carried out by its Board Chairman, Mijail Vladímirovich Miasnikovich. This Intergovernmental Council meeting has a special significance for Cuba as it is the first time we participate as an Observer State in the Eurasian Economic Union. This framework affords an opportunity to expand the brotherly relations we have developed with the member States of the organization over the past 30 years. This meeting is taking place in a complex international context. The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a major systemic crisis, which is aggravated by trade wars and unilateral coercive measures that violate international law. Cuba has been faced with these challenges in the midst of an unprecedented hardening of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US government. Follow the link: http://www.minrex.gob.cu/en/statement-prime-minister-republic-cuba-manue...