Mr. President:
We appreciate the convening of this open debate, chaired by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, National Community Abroad and African Affairs of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Attaf.
We recognize the role of Algeria in its chairmanship of the Counter-Terrorism Committee established pursuant to Security Council resolution 1373 (2021) and the importance it has attached to the exchanges with all Member States to prevent and combat this scourge.
We are grateful for the information provided by the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed.
The fight against terrorism as a global threat remains a serious and growing challenge for the international community. This is a cause that is demoralized when governments use it opportunistically to apply unilateral coercive measures against countries they identify as adversaries.
Terrorism has left an indelible mark on Africa as a result of colonialism, apartheid and underdevelopment imposed by foreign powers.
Terrorism cannot be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group. Its confrontation must be honest and integral, with direct actions that include prevention to eradicate its root causes.
The struggle of peoples under foreign occupation and colonial or foreign domination for self-determination and national liberation does not constitute an act of terrorism.
We are concerned about the misuse of information and communication technologies to commit, incite, recruit, finance or plan terrorist acts in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law.
We join the calls for cooperation in support of national and international efforts to combat terrorism, based on respect for the norms of international law.
Cuba has also been a victim of terrorist acts perpetrated from the United States, which have cost the lives of 3,478 Cuban citizens and left 2,099 disabled.
We reaffirm the absolute and categorical commitment of the Cuban Government against all acts, methods and practices of terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, wherever they occur against whomsoever, whoever commits them, including those in which States are directly or indirectly involved.
We also condemn any action intended to encourage, support, finance or conceal any terrorist act, method or practice.
Cuba has been exemplary in the fight against terrorism. We are a party to the 19 international conventions on terrorism and have taken measures to combat it.
We strongly reject double standards and political manipulation of an issue as sensitive as international terrorism.
We deplore the recent decision of the new President of the United States to reinstate the fraudulent designation of Cuba on the arbitrary list of alleged State sponsors of terrorism. With this extreme measure, he seeks to tighten the economic siege against our country and to provoke more hardships for the Cuban people, ignoring the broad, emphatic and repeated call of numerous international actors.
They lie again, Cuba does not support terrorism. This extreme and unilateral measure is an act of mockery and abuse that confirms the discrediting of the lists and unilateral coercive mechanisms of the United States government, demonstrates its double standards and the political manipulation with which it approaches the fight against international terrorism, and totally calls into question its commitment to the legitimate international efforts to combat this scourge.
In the face of such absurdity and arrogance, the legitimate and noble cause of the Cuban people will prevail, and will win again.
Mr. President:
The United Nations must lead the efforts of the international community against terrorism, based on the central role of the General Assembly in coordinating the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.
There is an urgent need to resume negotiations on a comprehensive convention on international terrorism that would comprehensively address all aspects of terrorism, including acts in which States are directly or indirectly involved.
Thank you