Sustainable development is and must continue to be the cornerstone of the UNDS operational activities, underlines the Cuban representative.

New York, 23 May 2019. Ambassador Ana Silvia Rodriguez Abascal, Deputy Permanent Representative and Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, participated today in the Operational Activities for Development Segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The Caribbean representative reaffirmed that, for her country, sustainable development is and must continue to be the cornerstone of the United Nations Development System (UNDS) operational activities. She underlined the need for the System to continue to strengthen the leadership of national governments on their processes at all levels and the mechanisms of governance, transparency and accountability to national governments, particularly with regard to the work of the Resident Coordinator and the Country Team.

About the guideline for operational activities -- Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review or QCPR--, the ambassador said that any effort to reform the System must be carried out with strict adherence to its mandates, concepts and notions. In this regard, the repositioning process must preserve the System’s presence or assistance in all countries under special situations and ensure a flexible and inclusive consideration to the priorities of the Country Programs and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, under the premise that "there are no unique solutions or pre-established formulas in development matters", she added.

Likewise, Rodríguez Abascal recognized the figure of the Resident Coordinator and his authority over the Country Team, while rejecting any proposal that ignores the full respect for the sovereignty of the recipient countries, non-interference in their internal affairs and consequently, hinders the interrelationship of the national authorities with the various actors of the System.

Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations