NEW YORK - A few minutes after his arrival in this city, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, held a brief meeting with the members of the Permanent Mission of our country to the United Nations.
In a familiar tone and with an affection that only comes from being surrounded by a total harmony of feelings and perspectives, the Head of State commented to his compatriots on the results of the recently concluded Summit of the Group of 77 and China in Havana.
I really believe that what we did was a feat," the dignitary commented. "To have convened a Summit of that magnitude at the present time, in the midst of the world situation, and on the eve of the United Nations General Assembly session to be held here, was a great challenge," he reflected.
The President commented that, in spite of the fact that "everything seems to indicate that the country in which we are now pressured a group of countries not to attend (the Summit), we achieved a very high attendance".
Regarding the important forum recently concluded in Havana, President Díaz-Canel said that there "a consensus was really built", and that it became evident that the countries of the South have "a community of interests".
The dignitary made reference, among common issues of concern that make up this consensus, to the unfair international economic order and all the inequalities that this state of affairs causes. He also mentioned the climate crisis and all that it generates. On the more specific issue of science, technology and innovation, he said that this field of knowledge reveals a group of gaps that have accentuated the differences at the global level.
In this regard, the President of the Republic of Cuba reflected that currently, in the world, "90% of scientific research in health is devoted to 10% of the diseases that cause the most deaths; however, only 10% is devoted to the diseases that cause 90% of deaths in third world countries".
In other words, he emphasized, "research is done so that those who are very healthy remain healthy, but no research is done so that the sick can be cured".
The Head of State also spoke of the recognition received by Cuba as host and organizer of the Summit. Many of the participants said -according to the President- that they were "in the best place that could exist to hold a Summit like this one". Then, he said, there is "confidence when speaking in Cuba, when attending Cuba; and that allowed, in addition, that consensus in the debates, and a strong declaration".
The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba did not overlook the many bilateral meetings that took place during the Group of 77 and China Summit. These were hours, he affirmed, that "also helped us to reach a consensus on our own actions here in the United Nations General Assembly, to seek support for the Cuban vote in support of the resolution against the blockade; and all this really motivates us".
"Without any hint of vanity or false pride, the country was at a tremendous height. Even in media terms, I believe that we lowered all the campaigns that were going on these days, and the Summit was a well-positioned issue in the international media and also in the social networks," Díaz-Canel said.
With those experiences still fresh and with a lot of commitment - the dignitary said this Sunday at the headquarters of the Permanent Mission - we arrive at the United Nations General Assembly, where there are several events in which the Cuban delegation will participate.
"I believe, he said, that it is going to be a complex and difficult event; but we come with the decision that the country is also going to achieve a diplomatic and political victory; and this has a lot to do with what you have done, it has a lot to do with the work of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in all our missions around the world; because having taken so many people to Cuba in these times, and that so many people also went with a very positive position, is very important," he emphasized.
Towards the end of his remarks, the Head of State emphatically commented, in a clear allusion to the hours of the Summit in Havana: "Whoever thinks that Cuba is isolated, his argument has collapsed". He asserted this because, as he acknowledged in fairness, during these days the capital of the Island became, at a planetary level, "the capital of the South".