H.E. Mr. Rodolfo Sabonge, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States We wish to express our condolences to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jamaica, H.E. Mrs. Kamina Johnson Smith, on the passing of her father. Excellencies: Allow me to thank the Dominican Republic for the efforts made to carry out this appointment under the complex conditions imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic, and acknowledge its work in the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Board of Directors of the Council of Ministers. I thank the Secretary General for his dedication and commitment to his work in the Association. I must denounce that I am intervening in this meeting through a VPN connection, because the US blockade against Cuba has prevented me from accessing the Zoom platform. Dear colleagues: More than 25 years after the Association of Caribbean States was created, the main obstacles to cooperation and the sustainable development of our nations are multiplying as a result of the persistence of an unjust international order and the devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. . Latin America and the Caribbean register alarming levels of increase in poverty. This reality reaffirms the validity and validity of the founding principles of the ACS and the importance of achieving the goals that we have set for ourselves. The nations that make up the Association of Caribbean States have the obligation to contribute to the well-being of our peoples and develop Tourism, Trade and Transportation, which have been hard hit by the pandemic. Our goals in these areas will not be achieved if we do not create capacities for the sustainable management of the Caribbean Sea and the prevention and mitigation of natural disasters that increasingly plague our region. These are challenges that persist and are growing in the current scenario. We welcome the election of Mexico as Pro Tempore President of the Board of Directors of the Council of Ministers. We express our fraternal congratulations and ratify our permanent willingness to contribute to the work of the Association. The coincidence of the mandate that he assumes today, with the Pro Tempore Presidency of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), represents an opportunity to articulate actions and favor synergies for the benefit of the peoples of the region. Cuba denounces the ironclad economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States government, intensified to unprecedented levels even in pandemic conditions, which has accentuated the shortcomings and deprivations for Cuban families, and boycotted the country's efforts to move towards sustainable development. We thank the Association for its repeated calls to put an end to this genocidal policy. The challenging reality imposed by the blockade has not prevented the contribution of Cuban health personnel to efforts to mitigate the pandemic, with 57 medical brigades in 40 countries and territories, including 17 ACS member states and 5 Associate Members. The effort of our scientists has allowed us to have five vaccine candidates to immunize against Covid-19, two of them in phase III clinical trials. Cuba reaffirms the need to work together to achieve prompt universal immunization and ensure an agile, equitable, supportive and affordable distribution of vaccines, supplies and medical equipment that allow everyone to be protected. The exclusionary approach imposed by neoliberalism on the production and acquisition of vaccines must cease. We join the call to eliminate the obstacles that hinder the distribution of vaccines, including any unilateral coercive measure that prevents, limits or makes access to them more expensive. Our determination is to continue international health cooperation because it is inherent to the humanistic nature of the political, economic and social project that we defend. Cuba will continue to resolutely promote solidarity, cooperation and integration to strengthen fraternal ties between the nations of the Caribbean Basin. Thank you. (CubaMINREX)