In his speech at the expanded session of the Brics Plus Ministerial Council, the Caribbean nation’s foreign minister acknowledged his country’s excellent relations with the founding territories of the group (Brazil; Russia, India, China and South Africa), and with those recently admitted (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia and Iran).
Rodriguez told those present that the island is part of far-reaching initiatives promoted by Brics members, such as the Belt and Road Initiative and the Eurasian Economic Union, as an Observer State.
‘We also have bilateral ties in important areas that will contribute to the achievement of the goals set out in our National Social and Economic Plan for the year 2030, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals,’ he argued.
The foreign minister recalled that Cuba, as a small island state, has resisted for more than 60 years a fierce economic, commercial and financial blockade that has been further tightened to unprecedented levels in recent years, imposed by U.S. governments.
In this regard, he explained that Washington’s unilateral measures against Havana ‘have had a very negative impact on each and every sector of the Cuban society and on the daily life of our noble people, who have not given up their dreams of building a better country for all and for the good of all’, he said.
In this effort, we are grateful for and have always enjoyed the fraternal support of the countries present here and of many others on this planet, Rosdríguez emphasized.
He reiterated the Cuban government’s willingness to share with the BRICS its modest experience and results in areas such as the medical, pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry, for the benefit of all the countries of the South.
Likewise, the head of Cuban diplomacy assured his nation agrees with the bloc on the importance and the need to continue strengthening integration and cooperation based on multilateralism and respect for diversity, for the sake of a fair, democratic and equitable international order.
ef/abo/mem/odf
