Excellencies, Distinguished colleagues,
Cuba expresses its appreciation to the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China for convening this important Dialogue, and to the United Nations Task Force on Leveraging Partnerships towards the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for preparing the consolidated overview of submitted initiatives.
With only five years remaining until the deadline set for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the international landscape is marked by a combination of multidimensional crises that continue to disproportionately affect developing countries. These challenges are further exacerbated by persistent external constraints, including unilateral coercive measures, an unequal international economic order, and structural limitations in access to financing, technology, and markets.
In this context, Cuba reiterates that the Global Development Initiative (GDI) constitutes a valuable instrument for strengthening cooperation and accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The set of initiatives presented by United Nations system entities offers an encouraging demonstration of institutional commitment to integrated approaches with high impact potential. We note with particular interest the proposals focused on South-South and triangular cooperation, digital transformation and the strengthening of national capacities, financing for development and climate resilience, as well as food security, education and human development.
From Cuba’s perspective, the main challenge lies in the need for strategic prioritization that fosters synergies among the various initiatives, avoids duplication, and channels resources toward developing countries. Coherence among the proposals is key to translating commitments into tangible results.
We firmly believe that predictable, concessional, and additional financing, the transfer of technology, enhanced cooperation in science and innovation, and genuine partnerships rooted in solidarity are essential to accelerate progress during the four years remaining until 2030.
In the case of Cuba, despite the negative impact caused by the economic, commercial, and financial blockade and the recent energy siege that has been imposed on our country. we continue to advance, through enormous efforts, in policies related to health, education, biotechnology, gender equality, and disaster risk management, and shares these experiences with other countries of the Global South as a concrete expression of our solidarity.
In conclusion, the path to 2030 requires renewed political will, systemic coherence, and effective international cooperation. The GDI and the initiatives presented today offer a solid foundation to that end, provided they remain focused on the priorities of developing countries.
Thank you very much.