Mr. President,
Cuba endorses the statement delivered by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on behalf of NAM.
We welcome the convening of this High-Level Meeting, which will certainly renew the political commitment of Member States and the United Nations system, pursuing the noble objective to achieve and maintain peace.
We also appreciate the report of the Secretary-General and his efforts to improve the work of the Organization, including overcoming fragmentation and achieving system-wide coherence, without altering the mandates and functions of its principal organs. This aims at providing systematic and adequate support to countries in order to strengthen their capacities to build and preserve just and peaceful societies.
We associate ourselves with the call of delegations from African countries to improve funding for United Nations peacebuilding activities.
In addition, comprehensive debates are required to consider all the proposals and recommendations of the Secretary-General's report and to take urgent decisions, in particular to ensure adequate, predictable and sustained funding for peacebuilding.
Mr. President,
Achieving sustainable and lasting peace among nations depends on a favorable international environment based on respect for multilateralism, international law and the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and on friendly and cooperative relations. The long-awaited comprehensive reform of the United Nations and its monetary and financial institutions, as well as a new international order on a more just, democratic and equitable basis, would also contribute to sustaining peace.
Efforts to sustain peace will be frustrated if double standards continue to be applied on the international agenda, the threat and unilateral use of force against sovereign States persist, as well as unilateral coercive measures, attempts to impose certain political systems and patterns of democracy, or intimidation and unequal trade.
In Cuba's view, sustaining peace requires addressing and eradicating the root causes of conflicts, in particular the complex problems of social and economic development that affect many nations, inter alia, through the imposition of irrational consumption and production patterns and the exploitation and plundering of brutal capitalism.
Cuba believes that inclusive and sustainable development is not just an end in itself, but a means to achieve and sustain peace; and that peace and development complement each other.
In this regard, we attach great priority to and call for support for the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda, capacity-building in developing countries, equal and non-discriminatory access to and transfer of technology, and the fulfillment of commitments and increased Official Development Assistance (ODA), without preconditions.
The United Nations Organization must be willing and able to assist national Governments in these efforts, at the request of States and respecting their national ownership and priorities, and their sovereignty and political independence without interference in their internal affairs. We cannot allow the Organization to divert its development resources or respond to geopolitical agendas. This is the only way to support peace building and sustained peace in an objective and impartial manner.
Mr. President,
As further proof of Cuba's commitment to continue considering United Nations peacebuilding and sustained peace activities without prejudice to the negotiations on the remainder of the reform proposals, our delegation will support the adoption of the draft procedural resolution: “Follow-up to the Recommendations of the Secretary-General´s Report on Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace”.
Thank you very much