Mr. President:
We congratulate you on assuming the great responsibility of chairing this Third Meeting of States Parties to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). We also congratulate the Vice-Presidents-elect.
Dear brother Neville Gertze, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Namibia,
Dear Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations,
Distinguished guests:
It was with deep sorrow that we received the news of the physical demise of the founding father of the sister nation of the Republic of Namibia, H.E. Dr. and Comrade Sam Nujoma.
Distinguished Ambassadors Gladys Mokhawa y Fergal Mythen, dear colleagues:
Allow me to begin by reaffirming that Cuba attaches upmost importance to the advancement of women. Gender equality, the empowerment of women and the eradication of all forms of violence and discrimination against them are objectives that Cuba fully shares. Our country has taken significant steps forward in this area.
His Excellency Mr. Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China and President of the Security Council:
We support the statement to be made later by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
We greatly appreciate the initiative to convene this open debate. We recognize China’s important role in defending multilateralism, diplomacy, global development, and peace.
Mr. President,
First of all, we would like to congratulate you and all the members of the Board on your election. We wish you every success in performing your responsibilities.
My delegation associates itself with the statements made by Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations.
Mr. President,
Mr. Chair,
The Open-ended Working Group has more than proved its worth. It has achieved concrete results with the agreement of all States. It must continue to do so as it approaches its final session. Only a joint outcome would contribute to its global application.
Ms. President,
First of all, I would like to warmly congratulate you on your election as President, and my colleagues from Indonesia, Sierra Leone and Syria, who will also continue to serve on the Bureau of the Committee. You can count on Cuba to continue working to complete the process of decolonization.
I thank the Secretariat and the Decolonization Unit for their commendable work.
Mr. President,
First of all, allow me to congratulate you on your election and thank you for your leadership at the head of the Commission, during which term you can count on Cuba's support.
Thirty years later, the mandates and commitments made in the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action remain relevant and fully in force. However, their implementation has not progressed as expected.
Mr. President,
We welcome the choice of theme for this Forum. Solidarity and social cohesion are the policy of the State and the willingness of the Government.
The Constitution of the Republic, in its Article 1, affirms solidarity and equality as two essential pillars on which the socialist State of law and social justice is based.
Mr. President,
We appreciate the convening of this high-level panel.
Cuba is fully committed to holding the Second World Summit for Social Development in Qatar in November 2025.
