“We face many challenges and that is why we talk about multicrisis: we are seeing the convergence of many conflicts,” the representative noted as president of the bloc.

Given this scenario, the negotiating group represents a strength by bringing together 134 countries, most of them developing, a group considered the voice of the Global South that this year is chaired by Cuba.

“We have to analyze the challenges in a very comprehensive way and, if we have to talk about a decisive one, I think that first of all it is necessary to enforce multilateralism,” he noted at a recent meeting with the press at the UN headquarters in New York.

This implies a great improvement in terms of participation, in particular, to give more space to developing countries – the majority of the members of the United Nations – and greater commitment, he asserted.

Pedroso agreed with the call from UN Secretary-General António Guterres to strengthen multilateralism and its institutions.

“That is the foundation: if we do not have a reliable and participatory multilateral system, there will be no way to face and respond to many challenges. There is no country, not even the most powerful, that can do it alone,” he emphasized.

In the diplomat’s opinion, the United Nations represents the best platform for collective participation and achieving consensus on such challenges as climate, food, the energy crisis and, of course, the political and geopolitical fragmentation in the world.

“I firmly believe that it is best for all member States to work to strengthen the organization and dialogue from the UN,” he added.

That body is the only one where everyone has a vote that does not depend on how much they contribute, he insisted.

At the gates of the G77 and China Summit, to be held this week in Havana, Pedroso considered the event as an exceptional moment to commit to integration.

“An added value of the summit would be to pave the way to improve and strengthen social cooperation among southern countries,” he said.

The presidency expects the adoption of a political declaration from the event that includes determining issues such as the development of member nations and compliance with the commitments made before the multilateral forum.

The meeting of the G-77 and China will focus its debates on the role of science, technology and innovation in development, other priorities of the G77 and China together with those of the UN on the path to sustainability.

“We all acknowledge that we are very far from the 2030 Goals,” Pedroso emphasized, recognizing the need for a scientific boost for the agenda proposed by the United Nations.

It is a question of development policies and how to prepare best to achieve commitments. One of the main drivers that allows this to be achieved is precisely the Summit theme proposed by Cuba, he pointed out.

“Without science, without technology and without innovation we cannot simply move to a different energy paradigm, for example, in order to meet our commitments to combat climate change,” he added.

Science is also essential to confront a pandemic and make progress such as more accessible vaccines.

The three elements are essential for each effort, according to the vision of the G-77 and China and the United Nations itself.

However, the wide gap in terms of science, technology and innovation between developed and developing countries is notable, he warned.

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