Cuban President Raul Castro in his speech at the UnSummit on the 2015 2030 Sustainable Development Goals denounced that instability in various regions of the world has roots in underdevelopment in which two third of the world population live.
Cuban President Raul Castro in his speech at the UnSummit on the 2015 2030 Sustainable Development Goals denounced that instability in various regions of the world has roots in underdevelopment in which two third of the world population live.
Speech by the President of the Councils of State and Ministers of the Republic of Cuba, Raul Castro Ruz, at the Summit of the United Nations dedicated to thew adption of the agenda fro development beyond 2015. New York, September 26, 2015.
Dear heads of state and government:
Distinguished heads of delegations:
Secretary General of the United Nations:
Mister President:
The instability in many regions has its roots in the situation of underdevelopment in which two-thirds of the global population lives.
Progress, adopted fifteen years after the Millennium Development Goals adopted are insufficient and unevenly distributed. They persist, and even worsen in many cases, unacceptable levels of poverty and social inequality, even in the industrialized nations. The gap between the North and the South and the wealth polarization increases.
We note that we are still very far from having a true global partnership for development.
No less than 2 000 million people in the world live in poverty. The overall infant mortality rate among children under five years is still several times that of developed countries. Mother mortality rate in developing regions is 14 times higher than in those nations.
Amid the current economic and financial crisis, the wealthy people and the transnational companies are becoming richer and the poor, the unemployed, the homeless increase dramatically because of cruel policies called "austerity". Desperate immigrants arriving in Europe fleeing from poverty and conflicts others caused.
The means to implement the Agenda, without measurable commitments or calendars, are not commensurate with the scope of its 17 sustainable development goals.
If we want a livable world, of peace and harmony among nations, democracy, social justice, dignity and respect for human rights, we should take prompt tangible commitments to help development and solve the debt problem already paid several times. We would require the building of another international financial architecture, eliminating technological and knowledge monopoly, and change the current international economic order.
The industrialized countries should take their historical debt and exercise the principle of "common but differentiated responsibilities". The lack of resources can not be used as a pretext when billions dollars are invested in military spending. Without its reduction no development or a stable and lasting peace will be possible.
Mr. President:
The restoration of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States, the opening of embassies and the changes that President Barack Obama had declared regarding the policy towards our country are an important step forward, which has attracted the widest support of the international community.
However, the economic, commercial and financial blockade against Cuba persists, for more than half a century, causing damage and hardship to the Cuban people, and is the main obstacle to the economic development of our country; it affects other nations for its extraterritorial outreach and continues to harm the interests of US citizens and companies. This policy is rejected by 188 states member of the United Nations demanding its ending.
Nevertheless, Cuba fulfilled the Millennium Development Goals and offered its cooperation to other developing countries in various sectors, which continue to do as far as our modest possibilities.
We will never give up the dignity, human solidarity and social justice, which are deep convictions of our socialist society.
Thank you
Source: Cubaminrex
Translation: Ilia Charon