Mr. President :
Cuba associates itself with the statement by the G77 and China.
We commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Economic and Social Council in a particularly complex context, which marks a turning point for multilateralism. This anniversary coincides with a scenario marked by coercion, disregard for International Law and the systematic violation of the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
The already limited progress made in sustainable development is now seriously threatened by the lack of real political will to support developing countries. Added to this is the failure of the Organization's largest financial contributor to fulfill its fundamental commitments, openly attacking the 2030 Agenda and undermining the pillars of sustainable development.
It is particularly worrying that this country intends to relegate social and economic issues, which are at the heart of ECOSOC's mandate, on the grounds of focusing the work of the United Nations exclusively on peace and security. This ignores an essential truth: there can be no lasting peace without development, nor security without social justice.
Mr. President:
The unilateral coercive measures stifle the progress of people. We reiterate our strong condemnation of the intensified U.S. blockade against Cuba, which constitutes the main obstacle to our development.
We reiterate our profound rejection of the US aggression against Venezuela. To remain silent in the face of these events would be tantamount to complicity in a neocolonialism that threatens the future of Latin America and the entire world.
As long as force prevails over dialogue and confrontation over cooperation, the United Nations and ECOSOC will face enormous challenges in fully fulfilling the mandate entrusted to them.
Cuba reaffirms its commitment to a strengthened, inclusive, and truly development-oriented ECOSOC.
Thank you very much