New York, February 10, 2026 – Cuba’s Alternate Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Yuri Gala López reiterated the need to bolster the General Assembly's role as the UN's chief deliberative, policy-making, and representative body during the Working Group's thematic debate on its strengthening and revitalization, part of the 80th session.
The diplomat stressed that revitalizing the General Assembly must fully respect its intergovernmental nature and Member States' rights under the UN Charter and rules of procedure—without restricting their sovereign prerogative to introduce draft resolutions or dictate their content or format.
He noted that while duplication and overlap must be tackled to boost UN efficiency, such efforts cannot yield exclusionary measures or standardization that erode intergovernmental prerogatives—and reviews of issues or resolutions require case-by-case consent from their proponents.
Cuba recalled that General Assembly resolutions remain valid until their mandates are fully implemented and voiced concern over proposals to standardize speaking time limits or impose automatic microphone cut-offs—practices lacking regulatory backing that undermine inclusiveness and effective participation.
Ambassador Gala López also reiterated that initiatives to reduce, merge, or eliminate mandated reports require explicit consent from proposing States and must ensure their timely distribution for delegations' proper analysis.
Cuba reaffirmed its readiness to engage constructively in strengthening and revitalizing the General Assembly, stressing that the Organization's effectiveness cannot come at the expense of developing countries' legitimate historical aspirations.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations.