New York, June 24, 2026. – Cuba's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán, addressed the Security Council Open Debate titled "Strengthening the prevention and protection of education for children affected by armed conflicts: from normative commitments to effective implementation," where he reaffirmed the need to strengthen international action to guarantee the effective protection of children affected by armed conflicts.
In his speech, the Cuban diplomat warned of the alarming deterioration of the situation of children in a context marked by more than 50 active armed conflicts worldwide. He denounced the fact that civilians—and children in particular—continue to be the main victims of wars, while recalling that more than 64,000 people have been killed or wounded in the Gaza Strip since October 2023.
Ambassador Soberón strongly condemned the attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which resulted in the deaths of more than 1,100 children, including 168 girls who were victims of the missile strike that targeted a school in Minab. He emphasized that these attacks constitute a serious violation of international humanitarian law and reiterated that the protection of children demands unrestricted respect for international law, the peaceful settlement of conflicts, and compliance with the Charter of the United Nations.
The Cuban Ambassador also called on the international community to translate the pledges made regarding the protection of children into concrete actions and to guarantee children's right to life, health, education, peace, and full development in safe environments.
In addition, Soberón reaffirmed Cuba's unwavering commitment to international humanitarian law, international human rights law, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as the progress made by the country through the strengthening of its legal and institutional framework for the comprehensive protection of children.
In this regard, Ernesto Soberón denounced the US Government's unprecedented intensification of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade against Cuba, further compounded by the energy siege and the application of extraterritorial coercive measures. He emphasized that this policy of economic asphyxiation constitutes a collective punishment against the Cuban people and has serious consequences for children, reflected in the deterioration of sensitive indicators such as infant mortality, pediatric oncologic care, and timely access to health services.
The Cuban representative characterized the policy applied by Washington against Cuba as a crime against humanity, as it is aimed at causing a humanitarian crisis in the country, and denounced its growing effects on the most vulnerable sectors of the population. He finally reiterated that Cuba will continue to uphold peace, cooperation, dialogue, and mutual respect among nations, while ratifying its unwavering determination to preserve its independence, sovereignty, and right to self-determination.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations