Statement by the Cuban delegation at the combined Interactive Dialogue with Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development, Mr. Zamir Akram; Chair of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, Ms. Liliana Valiña and Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Mr. Surya Deva
THIRD COMMITTEE – UNGA 78
New York, 13 October 2023
Mr. Chair,
We welcome Mr. Akram, Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development; Ms. Valiña, Chair of the Expert Mechanism; and Mr. Deva, Special Rapporteur. We thank them for their presentations and reiterate our support for their mandates.
We take note of the annual report of the Expert Mechanism on the Right to Development, as well as the conclusions and recommendations presented by the new Special Rapporteur in his first report, to whom we wish success in his work.
Mr. Chair,
The year 2023 marks an inescapable milestone for the right to development. The Human Rights Council, at the proposal of the Chair-Rapporteur of the Working Group on the Right to Development, has just transmitted to the General Assembly the draft international instrument on this fundamental human right, as defined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action.
This achievement would not have been possible without the efforts of the Chair-Rapporteur over several years, to whom we reiterate our appreciation.
It is now up to the States to discuss, negotiate and agree on the binding instrument. We know that this will not be a simple process. Nevertheless, we are determined to advance the cause of the right to development, an issue that is fundamental to the global South.
Nearly forty years after the adoption of the Declaration on the Right to Development, and in the year that marks the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action, we cannot allow this human right to continue to be minimized by some and ignored by others.
Developed countries, many of which are among those that do not recognize this right, have a historical responsibility. The degree of development achieved by these countries is largely due to centuries of exploitation, plunder and colonialism against our peoples and resources, perpetuated by an exclusionary international order that must be urgently replaced by a more inclusive and just one.
The right to development is an inalienable human right, the realization of which is fundamental to progress in the promotion and protection of all human rights for all. However, it is still far from being a reality for most of the world's population, while the obstacles for billions of people to exercise this right continue to be consolidated.
For many countries to make progress on the right to development, the application of unilateral coercive measures must end. This practice is an affront to the self-determination of peoples, violates the United Nations Charter and international law, and represents an obstacle to the exercise of the right to development.
An example of this is the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the government of the United States against Cuba for over 60 years. The blockade constitutes the main obstacle to our socio-economic development, directly affects the realization of our people's right to development and is a massive, flagrant and systematic violation of the human rights of Cubans.
In this regard, we would like to ask the three mandate holders their opinion on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on the capacity of the countries against which they are applied to promote the right to development and human rights in general.
Mr. Chair,
The question of the right to development is an essential issue for us, which is why we will continue to support the United Nations mandates on this matter, as well as the objective of having a legally binding instrument to promote and protect this right. Cuba, in its capacity as coordinator of this issue within the Non-Aligned Movement, will do everything in its power to bring to a successful conclusion the draft international instrument that has been submitted to us.
I thank you.