Madame Chair,
My delegation associates itself with the statement made by Venezuela on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter.
We appreciate the convening of this meeting on the impact of unilateral coercive measures on global efforts against terrorism, at a time when humanity is facing a complex and unpredictable international scenario, shaken by a multidimensional crisis, with growing global threats and challenges.
All of us, particularly the nations of the South, are suffering the devastating effects of this crisis. Some of us have to deal, in addition, with the additional burden of cruel and illegal unilateral coercive measures that violate international law and the UN Charter and impede the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the effective confrontation of terrorism.
Mr. President:
Cuba, which has been a victim of terrorism for more than six decades, strongly condemns all terrorist acts, methods and practices in all their forms and manifestations, including those in which States are involved, directly or indirectly. We are a State Party to the 19 international conventions against terrorism. Concrete steps have been taken to improve our normative and institutional framework.
There is no a single evidence or record linking Cuba to terrorist acts or the promotion or sponsorship of terrorist acts. However, in an arbitrary and unilateral manner, the U.S. State Department has included Cuba in a list of countries that allegedly sponsor international terrorism. This is a designation without any basis, authority or international backing whatsoever. Its purpose is defamation and coercion. It attempts to justify, and succeeds in tightening, the economic, commercial and financial blockade with which, for more than 60 years, the United States has punished and continues to punish the Cuban people.
We reject the unjustified and fraudulent inclusion of Cuba in this unilateral list, which hinders international cooperation in the fight against terrorism. Washington's promulgation of such politically motivated lists obstructs collaborative efforts and contravenes international law.
This unjust inclusion has been widely rejected by the international community. In addition, the publication, in recent days, of the joint communiqué of the five mandate holders of the Human Rights Council, on the negative impact on human rights of the unilateral designation of several countries, including Cuba, on the aforementioned list.
Mr. President:
Cuba will continue to support multilateral and bilateral cooperation to confront this scourge. We maintain a firm disposition to cooperate reciprocally with all countries to prevent and suppress acts of terrorism.
Likewise, we will continue to take concrete steps to improve our regulatory and institutional framework, and to advance in the implementation of our Comprehensive National Strategy against terrorism, which reaffirms among its postulates the need to strengthen and organize actions and measures to achieve an effective confrontation of international terrorism.
Mr. President:
We repudiate the application of unilateral coercive measures that limit the capacity of States to eradicate this scourge, in contravention of International Law and the Charter of the United Nations.
It is incumbent upon the United Nations, because of its universal character, to assume the central role in international efforts to counter terrorism. International cooperation is indispensable to confront it.
We reiterate Cuba's willingness to contribute to such collective efforts.
Thank you very much.