In his speech at the 5th United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (WDC), Cuban Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment Rodrigo Malmierca stated that this is an effort in which all nations should be involved, particularly the industrialized countries, which have the necessary resources.
He explained that, according to conservative estimates, more than 251 million people are identified as severely food insecure in the LDCs, which represents nearly one-quarter of their population.
Faced with these challenges, the implementation of the Doha Action Program will only be possible if it has international cooperation and solidarity and it is implemented in a coordinated and consistent manner with the commitments to the 2030 Agenda, the Cuban minister noted.
Malmierca stressed that support to the LDCs must be aimed at achieving inclusive economic growth and sustainable development, eradicating poverty and hunger, post-pandemic recovery, strengthening national health systems, energy development and environmental protection.
He added that foreign debt relief is not enough, but it is necessary to mobilize resources by attracting foreign direct investment.
In this framework, the Cuban minister pointed out that South-South and triangular cooperation are positive experiences, but they do not replace North-South cooperation, which should be channeled towards the poorest nations.
Malmierca called for an end to unilateral coercive measures, and thanked the international community for their support for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the Government of the United States on Cuba for more than six decades.
From Cuba’s presidency of the Group of 77 plus China, Malmierca reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the least developed nations to help overcome obstacles to their sustainable development.
“We will work to materialize cooperation projects in the fields of health care, biotechnology, education, the fight against climate change and for disaster prevention, which teach a lesson in unity and complementarity,” the Cuban minister underlined.
He stressed that Cuba will advocate the use of science, technology and innovation as engines for sustainable development, and underscored Havana’s commitment to make his progress in this area available to the LDCs, including the vaccines against Covid-19.
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