With the call of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to achieve a fairer world for developing countries, a summit of representatives from over a hundred states began in Cuba on Friday.
The mechanism known as the Group of 77 plus China (G77+China), referring to the initial number of founding members in the 1960s, is the largest forum for consultation within the UN and will hold its meetings in Havana until Saturday. Together, they represent 80% of the world’s population.
Over 90 speakers, including heads of state and other representatives from various countries such as Bolivia, Vietnam, Laos, Ghana, South Africa, and Iran, are expected to participate.
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro arrived on Friday morning and immediately gave his speech in which he advocated for countries to develop their own models without allowing external interference, promoting cooperation among southern nations within a framework where «nobody’s trying to dominate, exploit, or exclude anyone.»
China, on the other hand, was represented by Li Xi, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Li stated that China «remains committed to building technological changes that reduce digital gaps.»
Also addressing Palestine or Maldives occupation
Other representatives also raised national concerns, such as Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who called out Israel for its occupation of territories, and Argentine President Alberto Fernández, who mentioned the ongoing dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands.
Under the theme «Current Challenges of Development: The Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation,» the summit seeks to coordinate positions ahead of debates in the United Nations, and a final declaration will be signed on Saturday.
The group does not have binding mechanisms or obligatory strength for its claims against powers, but in a press conference this week, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez expressed hope that the «moral» force of being the vast majority of the world’s population will appeal to powerful countries to listen to their demands.
As stated by Rodríguez himself, the final document will demand a new international financial order with fair treatment of external debts and effective cooperation.
As the host, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel welcomed the delegations and his fellow heads of state, stressing the need to achieve genuine cooperation in the world and the elimination of «unilateral» sanctions imposed by powers such as the United States against Cuba.
The Cuban leader acknowledged that summits alone do not change the international reality but highlighted the importance of consensus among the diverse countries that make up the group.
The island has held the temporary presidency of the mechanism since January, and the current summit takes place amid a severe economic crisis in Cuba due to the COVID-19 pandemic and US sanctions aimed at exerting political pressure on the government.
Fuente de TenemosNoticias.com: www.vozdeamerica.com
Publicado el: 2023-09-15 16:51:37
En la sección: América Latina – Voice of America