During the first plenary session of the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility, Cuba's Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Adianez Taboada, denounced the unilateral coercive extraterritorial measures in foreign policy such as the intensified blockade imposed by successive administrations of the United States of America against Cuba for more than 60 years, as well as the inclusion of our country in the fraudulent and unilateral list of state sponsors of terrorism, resulting in enormous obstacles for the use of the international banking system, and in the recent refusal of travel agencies linked to the Seventh Plenary Assembly to provide logistical services to flights originating in or bound for Havana.
In addition, Taboada denounced the predominant financial policies that continue to impose barriers to the progress of developing countries, in their unequal conditions confrontation with the prevailing multidimensional global crisis.
As part of her speech, the Cuban Deputy Minister highlighted national results in environmental matters, such as "Tarea Vida" and other strategic programs, and the importance of the ratification of the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund. She also ratified the unchanging political will to continue working towards the achievement of the objectives agreed upon in each of the International Environmental Conventions, promoting the strengthening of scientific and technical cooperation, capacity building in developing countries, technology transfer, North-South cooperation, South-South cooperation and triangular cooperation.
During the event, the Cuban delegation held a successful meeting with Mr. Carlos Manuel Rodríguez, CEO and Chairperson of the Global Environment Facility, who expressed his interest in continuing to work closely with our country. The Caribbean delegation also held meetings with ministers, CEOs, indigenous leaders, and civil society representatives, participating in the event.
The Cuban Deputy Minister informed the attendees about the lack of response regarding the visa requests of more than half of the Cuban delegation, which prevented them from attending the Seventh Assembly as planned, limiting the delegation's presence and participation in the productive exchanges held in the days preceding the plenary session.
To conclude the Seventh GEF Assembly, the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, addressed the attendees, thanking everyone for their participation in the event, and reaffirmed the need to work in an integrated manner within the framework of multilateral agreements.