Rome, June 16, 2020
Thank you Mr. President,
My delegation appreciates the presentation, and supports the statement of Mexico on behalf of countries members of the List C.
Cuba recognizes IFAD's significant role in fighting rural poverty and for sustainable development.
Developing countries require IFAD's support and sustained, predictable, multi-year and flexible financing, especially an increase in regular resources, the cornerstone of country programs.
We support IFAD's founding mandate and adherence to General Assembly resolutions such as 71/243 Comprehensive Policy Review for Operational Activities of the UN system and resolution 74/231 on cooperation with middle-income countries.
We suggest reviewing some of the concepts used in the document, in particular the concept of situations of fragility. In the case of Small Island Developing States, the concept to be used is: vulnerable to climate change.
Regarding the pillars exposed in the document, we call for flexibility and that a percentage of basic resources should be allocated to middle-income countries. At the same time, we support that a greater amount of these resources should be allocated to the poorest countries.
For the decision on countries benefiting from regular resources and favorable loans, beyond the per capita of GDP, other INDICATORS should be taken into account, such as:
· The difficulty of accessing international sources of financing;
· The ability to assimilate financial allocations and use them with sustainable results;
· Difficulties in accessing advanced technologies;
· Impacts on agricultural productivity due to the effects of climate change;
· The limitations to have a sustainable and renewable energy matrix; or
· The negative impactof unfair and discriminatorytrade, as a sustained obstacle to development.
It would be advisable to also recognize the efforts of some developing countries to support other countries in technical and professional cooperation through South-South and triangular cooperation, which is often not calculated within the global figures. Some developing countries are also important actors offering cooperation for development, even having large economic gaps.
We call on all Member States, in the midst of the crisis created by COVID 19, to uphold the principles of multilateralism during these consultations, so as not to leave anyone behind.
The universality of Development Assistance is key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda.
We regret than the commitment to Official Development Aid has not been fulfill by most highly industrialized countries.
Several countries are affected by exogenous causes, as mentioned in the base document under discussion.
Great affectation causes the imposition of unilateral economic measures and sanctions contrary to international law, which among other attacks impede access to international financial sources. Such measures are designed to undermine all national efforts for social and economic development.
In the case of my country, the economic, commercial and financial blockade of the United States against the Cuban people hinders Cuba's access to technology and international financial resources on fair terms, and seriously affects the country's international economic relations.
ECLAC foresees for the end of 2020 a 5.3% drop in economic activity in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the consequent deterioration of important social indicators. The poverty rate would increase to 4.4 percentage points and extreme poverty 2.6 percentage points, compared to 2019. This implies that poverty in Latin America, the most unequal region on the planet, would reach 34.7% of its population, that is, 214.7 million people, and extreme poverty at 13%, 83.4 million inhabitants.
We call upon Member States to put into practice the best efforts of solidarity and cooperation in these consultations, to end hunger and poverty.
Thank you