The Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations (UN), together with the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Development, Surya Deva, organized an official side event of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development last week.
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The initiative, co-sponsored by Vietnam and Brazil, brought together government representatives, experts from the UN system, and civil society organizations. The main objective was to analyze how the right to development can catalyze inclusive global partnerships and accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The President of the Economic and Social Council, Ambassador Lok Bahadur Thapa, opened the meeting and emphasized the need to revitalize international cooperation in the face of the challenges faced by developing countries.
During the debate, the panelists agreed that the right to development is an essential instrument for promoting a more just and equitable international order, based on strengthening multilateralism and rejecting unilateral coercive measures.
Representing Cuba, Ambassador Ernesto Soberón Guzmán stated that profound inequalities and unilateral practices persist, restricting the development opportunities of countries in the Global South. The diplomat reiterated that international alliances must be based on solidarity, sovereign equality, and respect for international law, free from political conditions.
Soberón denounced unilateral coercive measures as one of the greatest obstacles to the effective exercise of the right to development and recalled that Cuba continues to be a victim of the longest-lasting and most extensive system imposed on any country.
He also reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to promoting this right and expressed his hope that the high-level meeting of the General Assembly scheduled for September 23 will contribute to progress toward a legally binding International Covenant.
The interventions by Vietnam, Special Rapporteur Surya Deva, and representatives of civil society highlighted the need to strengthen international cooperation as an essential requirement for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
The event demonstrated international support for the initiatives promoted by Cuba and confirmed the recognition of the country’s active role in promoting multilateralism and international cooperation.
Author: HGV/JF
Source: @BrunoRodriguezP
Source: teleSUR English
