On the last day of the G77 Summit, which comprises 134 member states, Jamaica´s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith stressed the need to articulate a stronger collaboration from the South to face up with the challenges of the future.
Access to financing for development, including science, technology and innovation, is imperative, the Minister said while referring to the Summit´s main issue.
She also stressed that despite challenges, the G77+China continue to make progress and called for establishing strategic plans to guarantee the involvement of developing countries in these fields.
Science, technology and innovation are catalytic pillars that can accelerate the economic development of our nations, said the official, who also praised Cuba’s role as president pro tempore of the G77+China Summit, and strongly condemned the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba for over 60 years.
Antigua and Barbuda Foreign Minister Chet Greene, who also condemned the US blockade against Cuba and sanctions against Venezuela, emphasized the gaps between rich and poor nations and the existing inequality in trade and access to technologies.
In this regard, he pointed out that these inequalities threaten the ability of States such as his own to achieve the objectives of the United Nations.
Our common struggles continue and our unity is our strength; therefore, from the South we must work in better global terms. Let action speak louder than words, he said.
In tune with his Caribbean colleagues, St. Kitts and Nevis Foreign Minister Denzil Douglas emphasized the need to establish strategic visions for development, and also said his country is on track to meet the goals of achieving a digital economy.
We urge the international community to reform the global financial architecture so that it does not leave small island states behind, he said at another point in his speech, in which he called for the strengthening of multilateralism and urged for the removal of all barriers to technological progress.
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