Mr. Chair,
We appreciate the inclusion of this item on the agenda. We reiterate our congratulations to Iraq upon assuming the leadership of the Group. Iraq can count on our support in the exercise of its duties as Chair.
The G-77 and China has historically been a forum of solidarity and cooperation to address the common challenges we face and promote the well-being of our people.
The year 2025 will not go by without challenges, some of which will be urgent and require our collective attention and coordinated action. In this context, the unity of the G-77 and China, and their commitment to the historical principles and claims of developing countries, become essential. It is up to the Group to lead the interests and aspirations of our people, being their voice and action essential in the current international scenario.
This year, we must consolidate the presence, influence and leadership of the Group in the numerous and relevant multilateral processes taking place in 2025, in particular: the negotiations of the final document of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development, where ambition should not fall short of what was agreed in Addis Ababa; the 20-year review of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS+20); the intergovernmental process to identify the mandate and modalities for the establishment and operation of the Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance; the final document of the World Social Summit and COP 30 on climate change.
It is essential that the Group continues to strengthen its position on the comprehensive reform of the international financial architecture, the external debt management and the review of current approaches to access funding on favorable conditions. The leadership of our countries on these issues will be essential on the path towards a new international order. The United Nations constitutes the most suitable and inclusive platform to address these challenges. The issues that affect our development should not be decided in fora which are not universal.
We must also follow up on the agreements of the Summit on Science, Technology and Innovation held in September 2023 in Havana, which include: the call in the context of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly, for a High-Level Meeting on Science, Technology and Innovation for Development, which focus, in particular, on the measures that must be adopted to address the needs of developing countries in these areas.
On the other hand, we propose to strengthen coordination between the different chapters of the G-77 and China, in order to identify the work priorities facing the multiple negotiation processes in 2025 and to contribute to a greater coherence and comprehensiveness in the Group's work.
Mr. Chair,
I conclude by insisting on the fact that to achieve our objectives we must remain united. Our efforts for unity must not be just words, they must transform into concrete actions. Let us put the interests of our people above our differences and speak with one voice in defense of our rightful place in the international context.
In this regard, I reiterate Cuba's commitment to the objectives and principles that brought about the establishment of the G-77 and China. We will continue to bet on its strength, as a serious and valid interlocutor in the concert of nations.
Thank you.