A/78/PV.24 General Assembly

I am honoured to address the General Assembly on behalf of the 10 States members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to express our support for the draft resolution contained in document A/78/L.5, on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against the Republic of Cuba. ASEAN also aligns itself with the statements to be delivered later by the representatives of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The General Assembly has consistently adopted this resolution by an overwhelming majority since it was submitted in 1992. This is also the eighth year that ASEAN has made a statement at the General Assembly urging the United States to lift its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible. Each year, almost all Member States, including ASEAN countries, have stood for the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, namely, sovereign equality, non-interference and non-intervention. We have also reiterated that differences between States should be resolved through dialogue and engagement, not confrontation or isolation. The Secretary-General’s reports, the most recent of which is contained in document A/78/84, continue to document the severe and punishing impact of the United States embargo against Cuba. Six decades of the embargo have cost Cuba trillions of dollars. From 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2023, the blockade cost Cuba an estimated $4.87 billion in losses. The report states that “the blockade has had an undeniable impact on the quality of life and on the services provided to the population”. (A/78/84, p.26) For example, United States and foreign companies have declined, or been unable, to supply much-needed medicines and equipment to Cuba. The Secretary-General’s report cites various United States private initiatives to mitigate that and observes that the barriers to health-care cooperation imposed by the blockade are “contrary to the will of the people of the United States” (ibid., p.34). Yet it is unfortunate that 80 per cent of Cuba’s current population has known Cuba only under the blockade. Furthermore, the United States decision to place Cuba on the list of State sponsors of terrorism in January 2021, in the words of the Secretary-General’s report, “on the basis of inconsistent arguments and without evidence” (ibid., p.30), not only undermines the legitimacy of that wider global fight; it has also needlessly exacerbated the negative effects of the embargo on Cuba by deterring numerous companies and financial entities from engaging Cuba and providing services to its citizens. For example, the report notes that dozens of banks have suspended their operations with Cuba. It goes without saying that the embargo also hinders Cuba’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Secretary-General’s report states that the embargo “affects opportunities for national and local development and creates economic hardship for the population” and “has an impact ... on human development in general” (ibid., p.152). At a time when the world has already fallen behind on the SDGs, powerful States should refrain from creating further obstacles to sustainable development. As the world faces pressing global challenges that require international cooperation, we encourage the United States and Cuba to engage in constructive dialogue, underpinned by mutual respect. ASEAN joins other members of the Assembly in urging the United States to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba as soon as possible, delist Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism, take steps towards normalizing relations and use its influence to create a rising tide to lift all boats.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on draft resolution A/78/L.5, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”, on behalf of the members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). It is particularly concerning that the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba still remains in force after six decades. What is more critical is the fact that, for more than 30 years, the General Assembly has unequivocally demanded the end of the embargo by adopting a draft resolution on the matter. Despite the overwhelming message that the Assembly sent on the previous occasions we met, the embargo has not ceased but is stronger than ever. The embargo has not only affected Cuba’s commercial sector and national economic activities but has also had disastrous humanitarian consequences for the Cuban population. Furthermore, the policy hinders the ability of other countries to invest in, and trade with, Cuba because of its extraterritorial effects. We are especially worried about how the impacts of the embargo have exponentially increased after the unjust inclusion of Cuba on the list of countries that allegedly sponsor terrorism. Due to that measure, banking operations, as well as financial operations, have become extremely difficult for Cuba, impeding that country from inserting itself into the global supply chain. We call for the removal of Cuba from that list, which is incoherent with the considerable cooperation that Cuba has traditionally provided to the global South. The embargo has a notable impact on the national health system, which is reflected in the difficulties encountered by the national industry in purchasing the materials needed to preserve food and produce medicines and other products, given the existing restrictions on Cuba against procuring goods containing more than 10 per cent of United States components. The general situation remains a source of deep concern. We strive to work for the benefit of humankind and the well-being of our peoples. Our leaders here at the United Nations agreed on the Sustainable Development Goals and committed to responding to the aspirations of the international community to ensure that no one is left behind. In that regard, the embargo against Cuba represents an obstacle to its people in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and runs counter to our commitment to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The OIC therefore joins the call of the overwhelming majority to end the embargo against Cuba. The OIC member States support draft resolution A/78/L.5 and call on Member States to vote in favour of it, as they have done in previous years.

Before giving the floor to the next speaker, I would like to propose that the list of speakers for the debate on this item be closed, in view of the large number of delegations inscribed on the list. Unless I hear any objection, I will take it that the Assembly agrees to close the list of speakers.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the members of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). CELAC welcomed the steps that were taken between 2015 and 2016 by Cuba and the United States to commence the process of normalizing their diplomatic relations, which began a new chapter in the history of peace and coexistence among nations of the Americas. However, we regret that the embargo remains a reality for the Cuban people and unquestionably continues to be the main obstacle to normal development in Cuba. The report of the Secretary-General (A/78/84) confirms the cost of the policy for Cuba, as it does substantial and unjustifiable harm to the well-being of the Cuban people and is contrary to the desire for peace of the peoples of Latin America and the Caribbean, as set out in the Proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. The economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba is contrary to the letter, spirit, purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law. CELAC reiterates its firm rejection of the application of laws and measures that are contrary to international law, such as the Helms-Burton Act, including their extraterritorial effects, and the increasing prosecution of Cuba’s international financial transactions, which runs counter to the political desires of the international community. We are also opposed to the unjust inclusion of Cuba on the list of State sponsors of terrorism, which, in addition to being unsubstantiated, has increased the chilling effect of embargo-related restrictions and worsened Cuba’s chances of establishing commercial and financial relations with international partners. We urge the Government of the United States to put an end to those measures. CELAC underscores its special declaration on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba, adopted at the seventh Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, held in Buenos Aires on 24 January 2023. In it, we requested that the Government of the United States abide by the successive resolutions of the General Assembly and, in response to repeated calls from the international community, put an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. Furthermore, CELAC reiterates its deep concerns about the tightening of the policy and its rejection of the extraterritorial dimension of the embargo, which has had a severe impact on Cuba’s international financial transactions and the welfare of the Cuban people. The Charter of the United Nations sets out rights, obligations and principles that have become part of the legal heritage of humankind, as well as international law. They should not be violated or undermined by any Member. Member States should modify their national and international actions in line with the rights, obligations and principles set out in our Charter. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States strongly supports the adoption of draft resolution A/78/L.5, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. We underscore the inconsistency of applying unilateral coercive measures that are not supported by international law or by the letter, spirit, purposes or principles of the Charter of the United Nations. We reiterate our call on the United States to respond to the appeal by the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, every region of the world and its own people to put an end once and for all to the unjust embargo on Cuba. I now beg your indulgence, Mr. President, as I will deliver a few additional remarks in my national capacity. Before beginning, allow me to align myself with the statement to be delivered on behalf of the Caribbean Community and that which I just delivered on behalf of CELAC. Every year, by virtue of the resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”, the General Assembly pronounces overwhelmingly in favour of Cuba. Since its adoption in 1992 (resolution 47/19), that text has reflected the membership’s unwavering condemnation of the ongoing blockade imposed on Cuba. The opposition of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the ongoing measures is founded on its steadfast advocacy of the bedrock principles of the multilateral order, which are enshrined unambiguously in the Charter of the United Nations, namely, the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of a State. The equal application of, and adherence to, those principles, along with others that have been entrenched in the Charter, play an indispensable role in safeguarding peaceful coexistence among nations. To that end, we underscore that the continued imposition of the embargo is not only in violation of the Charter  — an affront to international law  — but also inhumane, unjust and anachronistic. We therefore appeal to Member States to honour their obligations under the Charter to avoid promulgating and applying laws and measures that fall within those set out in draft resolution A/78/L.5. We further appeal to the States that have imposed such measures to undertake the necessary steps and actions required to repeal or invalidate them. We unequivocally reject the unilateral imposition of illegal and counterproductive measures by some States on others as responsible actors in the international community. Member States have a legal and moral obligation to oppose the extraterritorial application of domestic policies, which violate international law — the overarching framework that was curated and established to safeguard our peaceful and prosperous existence. As we look towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we recall the commitment of Member States to leaving no one behind. The ongoing embargo is an unnecessary barrier to Cuba’s ability to achieve those goals on the same footing as the rest of the international community. While we recognize the significant advancements that Cuba has made in areas such as health care and education, as well as the commendable commitment shown to meeting the Sustainable Development Goals despite the existing embargo, we also express our grave concern about the stymying and palpable impact of the embargo on Cuba, which is borne directly by its people and further affects the region. Noting that such illegal measures can run counter to the letter, spirit, principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines expresses its strong support for the adoption of the draft resolution entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. We reiterate our position that the unconditional lifting of the embargo is a prerequisite to any meaningful rapprochement between the United States and Cuba. We urge the United States to take heed of the consistent appeals, echoed by Member States, which oppose such harmful policies. That is the only way to create an environment conducive to mutually respectful dialogue that facilitates a sustainable path forward.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the States members of the Central American Integration System (SICA): Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and my own country, El Salvador. The SICA member States reiterate their historic and unwavering solidarity and their deepest desire for the well-being and prosperity of the Cuban people. We welcome and appreciate the presence of His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba. In a complex international context, Cuba continues to be subject to an unjustified economic, commercial and financial embargo, which for decades has hindered its national vision towards sustainable development. During the coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), the inhumane nature of such a policy, which harms the entire Cuban people, was made clear. The restrictions associated with the embargo made it difficult for the public health authorities to acquire essential medical supplies and equipment, including those for the industrialization of Cuban vaccines against COVID-19. Even the acquisition of medical oxygen in third countries was hindered, causing the loss of loved ones for many Cubans. Similarly, as a result of the implementation of the embargo, it is not possible for Cuba to acquire suitable medicines for the treatment of childhood cancer. Faced with that quandary, Cuban medical institutions must use harsher oncological treatments on patients. The children in Cuba who suffer from such illnesses need not also suffer because of that anachronistic and excruciating policy. For the SICA member States, it is regrettable that the effects of the multidimensional global crisis impacting the energy, food, environmental, economic and financial sectors, in addition to the cumulative impact of the pandemic, have not been sufficient reasons to bring about a change in policy and to take a step towards greater rapprochement between the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba. The arbitrary and unjustified inclusion of Cuba on the list of State sponsors of terrorism has compounded the country’s difficulties in entering international trade and carrying out financial operations, causing the closing of contracts and the loss of relations with banking entities, among other difficulties. The unfounded categorization of Cuba as a terrorist country must cease immediately. That has caused incalculable costs and consequences for the Cuban economy, intensifying the impact of the blockade, particularly for its people. In that regard, we stress the urgent need to reverse that measure in order to alleviate the shortages experienced by the Cuban people. Despite the problems that Cuba has experienced over the years, we are grateful for its valuable and determined support to Central American countries in every situation of disaster or difficulties faced. From Cuba we know only solidarity, warmth and benevolence. The SICA member States will support the adoption of draft resolution A/78/L.5, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”, while reiterating their full adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and to the norms of international law, including those related to mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. The States members of SICA harbour the hope that, in the not-too-distant future, adopting a resolution such as the one before us today, which has also convened us for more than 30 years, will no longer be necessary and that, instead, we will come together to celebrate the end of an unjustified action and of the suffering of generations of Cubans. Working for peace and cooperating to find solutions to our common challenges are objectives that guide the work of the Organization. Ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba is the only way to create an inclusive present and future for all.

I speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 38, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. I would like to thank the Secretary- General for his comprehensive report (A/78/84) on the item that we are discussing today. The Group regrets that the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba for more than six decades remains in full application and continues to be enforced. We regret the policy established by the recent United States Administration aimed at reinforcing the embargo on Cuba, which still remains in effect despite the change in Administration, and which we believe is an obstacle to the process of achieving normalized relations between the two countries. We are deeply concerned about the widening of the extraterritorial nature of the embargo on Cuba, notably through the full implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act. The application of that law is a clear transgression of the freedom of commerce among nations because of its intimidating purpose by punishing any trade or investment transactions between any given country and Cuba. In the same vein, we urge the immediate removal of Cuba from the United States Department of State’s list of countries that are allegedly sponsors of terrorism. Cuba is a long-standing active partner of members of the Group in promoting South-South cooperation. Thanks to the efforts made by Cuba, many countries within the Group have developed their scientific and technical potential. All we know about Cuba is friendship and solidarity; we know nothing about terrorism. The inclusion of Cuba on that list does not represent only a reputational damage but is also among the core elements in the recent reinforcement of the embargo. Because of that categorization, it has been extremely difficult for Cuba to engage in international banking operations, regardless of whether it is a case of State/ public companies or private entrepreneurs, which sets extremely harmful conditions for the development and well-being of the Cuban population. The Group of 77 and China reaffirms its commitment to the purposes, principles and spirit of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly regarding the sovereign equality of States, non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States and freedom of international trade and navigation. We believe that it is the duty and responsibility of every Member State to strictly comply with those principles and that any policy or action that disregards them — in this case, the unilateral economic, commercial and financial sanctions against Cuba  — should be immediately repealed. The Group of 77 and China is deeply concerned about the debilitating impact that the United States embargo of more than 60 years has had on Cuba and its people. From 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2023, the blockade caused more than $4.8 billion in losses to Cuba. The direct and indirect damage that the embargo has inflicted on Cuba is enormous. It affects all the critical sectors of the Cuban economy, including public health, nutrition and agriculture, as well as trade, investment, tourism and banking. The prosecution of Cuban financial transactions in third-country jurisdictions, which has had a significant deterrent effect in economic terms, has continued. The limited foreign direct investment and difficulty in access to development credits translate directly into economic hardship and humanitarian suffering for the people of Cuba. The embargo has also been a severe obstacle to the country’s socioeconomic reforms. We are concerned about the possibility that the continuation of economic sanctions truly undermines Cuba’s development potential by unfairly retarding economic growth and human development. As a result of those unilateral measures, it will be impossible for Cuba to successfully embark on the path towards sustainable development envisaged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to which all Member States have pledged support. Cuba has extensively and consistently contributed to the international community for many decades. Its assistance to other countries in the context of the coronavirus disease pandemic has been a great example of South-South cooperation. We, the members of the Group of 77 and China, reiterate our support for draft resolution A/78/L.5, as well as our call for an end to the United States economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba. The urgency and necessity of lifting the blockade are ever clearer, especially considering that this is the thirty-first occasion on which the General Assembly will adopt a resolution to call for its end. We therefore appeal to the international community to step up its efforts calling for the elimination of the embargo, not just to improve Cuba’s prospects, but also to help all members of the global community in their quest to fully realize their economic and social development.

I have the honour to address the General Assembly on behalf of the 14 States members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) on agenda item 38, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. The Caribbean Community aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on behalf of the Community of Latin America and Caribbean States, and the statement to be made by the representative of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. CARICOM extends its warm welcome and best wishes to His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, who is with us today. We return to the General Assembly to reiterate the deep conviction of CARICOM member States in support of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including respect for sovereignty, non-interference, the peaceful settlement of disputes and the maintenance of friendly relations among States. We further reaffirm that there can be no exceptions for violations of international law if the United Nations is to live up to the commitments made by Member States in signing the Charter. The unilateral economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba is a clear violation of the Charter and international law. The extraterritorial application of a third State’s laws is contrary to the letter and spirit of the provisions of the Charter and abandons the principles of multilateralism, to which we are all committed. For more than three decades, the General Assembly has consistently and overwhelmingly called for the lifting of the unilateral economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba. Yet the embargo persists, in defiance of international law and of the numerous resolutions annually adopted by the General Assembly. CARICOM strongly deplores the continued imposition of the embargo. We reiterate our concern about the profound negative impact that the measures continue to have on the socioeconomic development of Cuba and on the livelihoods and well-being of the Cuban people. The embargo also serves as an impediment to the regional cooperation that CARICOM maintains with Cuba. It is therefore imperative that CARICOM join the call again today for an immediate end to the embargo. CARICOM further denounces the unwarranted designation of Cuba on the list of State sponsors of terrorism as a measure that serves only to further compound the inhumane consequences of the embargo. Such a designation has no basis in fact. The articulation of a principled position on the serious issues confronting the planet does not constitute support for terrorism. Just like other Member States, Cuba is contending with the global fuel, food and financial crises, the lingering impact of the pandemic, the climate emergencies and recovery from the catastrophic impact of past hurricanes. Its economic recovery and sustainability are significantly affected by the impact of the illegal and immoral embargo. The full application of the Helms-Burton Act, including its Title III, has also exacted a devastating and inhumane toll on Cuba, its people, their economic recovery and the country’s efforts to meet the thresholds set by the Sustainable Development Goals. CARICOM and Cuba share a historic, extensive and robust partnership, based on mutual respect, solidarity, a shared commitment to Caribbean development and cooperation. In 2022, CARICOM and Cuba commemorated the fiftieth anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the first four Caribbean States of CARICOM. At that commemoration, CARICOM and Cuba jointly reaffirmed the importance of continued and expanded cooperation towards the sustainable development of the countries of our region through agreements on economic, social and environmental development. CARICOM and Cuba continue to cooperate in areas such as health, education, trade, disaster risk reduction and sport. Cuba was the first to deploy health-care personnel to several CARICOM member States in the early days of the coronavirus disease pandemic to augment our region’s public health systems. They were in addition to the health-care personnel already assigned to many countries in our region, who have played an ongoing role in supporting our countries’ efforts to improve access to health care. Cuba has also provided many tertiary and professional-level scholarships, thereby supporting the human resource development of our Caribbean region. The close partnership between CARICOM countries and Cuba is an enduring model of what South-South cooperation can accomplish towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. CARICOM, Cuba and the United States have a shared interest in a peaceful Caribbean, underpinned by friendly relations among States of the region on the basis of mutual respect and mutual respect for international law. It is in that spirit that CARICOM urges the United States to join with the rest of the international community in its call for an immediate end to the embargo and to resume the normalization of relations with Cuba. CARICOM member States stand in full solidarity with Cuba and will support draft resolution A/78/L.5. I would now like to make the following remarks in my national capacity. The Government of Saint Lucia reaffirms its sacred commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to the principles of the sovereign equality of States, non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States, as well as peaceful coexistence among nations. Saint Lucia strictly adheres to the international legal doctrine of the exercise of sovereignty by a Member State in its lawful interests and its freedom to engage in commercial activity, trade and economic cooperation. Accordingly, the long-standing matter of the unlawful economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba continues to be of significant concern to the Government and people of Saint Lucia. We are of the view that our countries must continue to act collectively if we are to successfully address the current global challenges. The importance of such close ties between Cuba and our wider region was expressed by the Secretary- General of the Caribbean Community last May when she emphasized the great value of the strong and enduring bond between CARICOM and Cuba and the excellent spirit of cooperation that has been of great assistance both bilaterally and regionally. In that context of regional cooperation, Saint Lucia reiterates its deep appreciation for the support provided by Cuba to our national health service from the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. We also acknowledge Cuba’s provision of medical personnel and medicines to support our health systems in many nations, including those that were the hardest hit by the virus. It should be emphasized that Cuba’s assistance to, and cooperation with, Saint Lucia in health and other sectors, such as education, predates the coronavirus pandemic by many decades. The people of Saint Lucia and the people of Cuba have enjoyed a warm, deep and sincere friendship since our independence 44 years ago. It continues to be evident that the obstacle of the punitive economic embargo faced by our sister State of Cuba for over half a century remains a severe and unjust hardship on the people of Cuba. Saint Lucia remains in full compliance with its international obligations enshrined in the United Nations Charter not to promulgate any law, legislation or measure or take any other action that would infringe on the sovereignty of a State or its lawful national interests or that would inhibit the freedom of commercial activity, trade and economic cooperation. From the regional perspective, it is to be recalled that, at their forty-fifth regular meeting last July, the Caribbean Heads of Government reiterated their call for the lifting of the unjust financial, economic and trade embargo against the Government of Cuba and the people of Cuba. Accordingly, the Government of Saint Lucia reiterates its support for the successive General Assembly resolutions in which the Assembly has called for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. We fully support the draft resolution before us today. The unselfish assistance of Cuba to Saint Lucia, the wider Caribbean and globally in furtherance of regional socioeconomic development and sustainability is legendary and is wholly consistent with the values and aspirations of cooperation among the countries in the global South. Such cooperation should be heralded, not impeded. The Government of Saint Lucia expresses its hope that the perennial resolution on this question be respected as the will of the overwhelming majority of the nations of the world. The deep fraternal bond that characterizes the relationship between Saint Lucia and Cuba transcends boundaries, language and ideologies. The indomitable spirit of the Cuban people remains an inspiration, and we reaffirm our fervent call to end the embargo. Saint Lucia will always stand with Cuba on this matter.

The State of Eritrea has the honour to take the floor on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. For our Group, the consideration of this issue is of crucial importance in terms of the endeavour that unites us — to achieve strict respect for the purposes and principles of the Organization, as enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The unjust and abusive blockade against Cuba constitutes, without a doubt, one of the most serious, prolonged and systemic violations of international law and the Charter of the United Nations. During the past three decades, the General Assembly has demanded consistently and overwhelmingly that the blockade against Cuba be ended. However, the effects of that policy on the Cuban people have just been strengthened in recent years to decimate the Cuban revolution. The 30 resolutions adopted by the General Assembly have not been enough for the removal of the blockade  — 30 years in which the message has been clear: the Cuban people has the right to build their own future, free from any kind of interference or pressure. Every day that the blockade continues to exist represents a shame on the moral authority of the Organization, a shame on the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and a shame for multilateralism itself. In addition to being morally and politically unacceptable, by attempting to subjugate a small, peaceful and supportive country by means of extreme pressure, the blockade against Cuba transgresses the very foundations of the Organization. Article 1 of the United Nations Charter states, as one of its purposes, “to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self- determination of peoples”. However, the blockade not only violates the right of Cubans to conduct their affairs in a sovereign manner, without interference, but also restricts the other States of the world from freely developing their commercial ties with Cuba. Any nation in the world, rich or poor, is exposed to reprisals by the United States authorities if it maintains economic relations with Cuba. That punitive and extraterritorial nature of the blockade was reinforced as never before after the full application of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act in May 2019, which opened up the possibility of filing lawsuits in United States courts against international companies operating with properties nationalized by the Cuban authorities. Being a fundamental piece in the declared purpose of successive Governments of the United States to undermine the social project of the Cuban Revolution, the blockade threatens the political independence of Cuba, which is contrary to what is advocated in Article 2 of the Charter on relations among Members of the Organization. The categorization of Cuba by the United States as a country that sponsors terrorism is one of the biggest calumnies that has ever been set on any nation to curtail its stability. Cuba exports solidarity, not violence. Since 1963, that small country has been showing the true meaning of cooperation to the world by sending countless medical brigades to communities in need. Cuba has also hosted on its own territory hundreds of youngsters who go there to become professionals so needed in their homelands. The inclusion of Cuba on the infamous list of sponsors of terrorism is not simply an absurd rhetoric. It is one of the most harmful measures in force to multiply the effects of the blockade. Because of that labelling, Cuba has encountered even harder challenges to carry out international banking transactions, receive investments and apply for credits. That has even provoked the closure of bank accounts to many Cuban diplomatic missions across the world, in violation of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. Therefore, we call for the immediate removal of Cuba from that list, on which it should never have been included. Year after year, the reports of the Secretary-General presented under this item illustrate the numerous and sensitive affectations to the Cuban population caused by the blockade. There are children and young people who suffer those impacts and mothers and the elderly who live in deprivation and are victims of a harmful and inhumane blockade, driven by political motivations. Article 13 of the United Nations Charter confers on the Assembly, among its functions and powers, the promotion of international cooperation in the economic, social, cultural, educational and health fields. Given that the blockade against Cuba is a major impediment to the achievement of such an objective, as well as an obstacle to increasing the valuable contribution that Cuba can make to international cooperation, the General Assembly will be failing in its functions until that harmful policy is eliminated. We express our solidarity with the people and the Government of Cuba. We demand the immediate and unconditional end of the blockade, and we call on all States Members of the Organization to once again support draft resolution A/78/L.5, to be submitted by the Cuban delegation. Mr. Aliyev (Azerbaijan); I have the honour to speak on behalf of 120 members of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries (NAM). At the outset, we would like to acknowledge the presence of, and extend our warmest welcome to, His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba. We are also grateful to the Secretary-General for his report on this important issue (A/78/84). The General Assembly has expressed its overwhelming support for, and solidarity with, the people and the Government of Cuba through its principled position in favour of the resolution calling for the lifting of the embargo imposed by the United States against that sovereign country. At the seventy-seventh session of the General Assembly, the overwhelming majority of Member States voted in favour of resolution 77/7. In that regard, the Non-Aligned Movement reiterates its strongest opposition to the promulgation and imposition of unilateral coercive measures that are not authorized by the relevant organs of the United Nations and that are inconsistent with the principles of international law or the Charter of the United Nations, given their extraterritorial implications and illegal character. The Non-Aligned Movement has repeatedly emphasized its call on the United States Government to put an end to the unilateral economic, commercial and financial embargo that it has illegally maintained against Cuba for more than six decades now. The embargo, which is a breach of international law, the Charter of the United Nations and the norms and principles governing inter-State relations, constitutes a violation of Cuba’s right to fully interact with the international community. The Non-Aligned Movement has historically held a principled position of rejecting unilateral coercive measures that are not authorized by the relevant organs of the United Nations, are inconsistent with the principles of international law or the Charter of the United Nations or contravene the basic principles of the multilateral trading system and that are used as a tool of political or economic and financial pressure against States, in particular developing countries. The embargo on Cuba is precisely an example of the adverse effects of unilateral coercive measures on the well-being of peoples, preventing them, among other things, from fully enjoying and realizing their human rights, including the right to development. The direct and indirect damage inflicted by the embargo against Cuba is enormous. It affects all critical sectors of the Cuban economy, including public health, nutrition and agriculture, as well as trade, investment, tourism and banking. The banking sector has been particularly hit. The prosecution of Cuban financial transactions in third-country jurisdictions, which has a significant deterrent effect in economic terms, has continued. From 1 March 2022 to 28 February 2023, the blockade caused an estimated $4,867 million in damage to the Cuban economy. Cuba is also denied access to markets, international aid from international financial institutions and technology transfers, which creates serious obstacles to the socioeconomic development of the country. In addition, the embargo is the main impediment to broader access to the Internet, people-to- people contacts and the development of cultural, sport and scientific relations. The Non-Aligned Movement reaffirms that the continuation of the embargo is totally unjustifiable and that it does not correspond with our historical time. It also runs counter to Cuba’s continued efforts to realize its sustainable development, including the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Movement expresses its deep concern over the widening of the extraterritorial nature of the embargo against Cuba, including the full implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act. The Non-Aligned Movement also rejects the reinforcement of the financial measures adopted by the Government of United States of America to tighten the embargo, which has exceeded $1 trillion and has a direct negative impact on the daily lives of Cubans. The Non-Aligned Movement views the strengthening of the embargo against Cuba, adopted by the United States Government in June 2017, as a serious setback to the process of the normalization of bilateral relations between the two countries. Furthermore, the Movement strongly condemns the inclusion of the Republic of Cuba on the unilateral list of State sponsors of terrorism of the United States Department of State, as announced on 11 January 2021. NAM rejects the politicization of the fight against terrorism, including through the unilateral adoption of lists accusing States and their constitutionally established institutions of allegedly supporting terrorism, and consequently rejects the unfounded accusation that Cuba sponsors terrorism. NAM looks forward to the current United States Administration taking the necessary actions to reverse those reckless steps and moving forward towards normalizing relations. The fact that 185 States Members of the United Nations voted in favour of resolution 77/7 represents an expression of unanimity within the international community in demanding an end to the 61-year embargo and full adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and to the norms of international law, including those relating to mutual respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of States. Currently, more than 190 nations engage economically and politically with Cuba, while the United States remains alone in pursuing its unjustified and illegal economic sanctions policy. Consequently, the States members of NAM once again urge the United States Government to yield to the will of the overwhelming majority of the international community and rectify its failed policies by fully complying with all relevant resolutions of the General Assembly, which call for the immediate and complete end to the embargo imposed against Cuba. In conclusion, the Non-Aligned Movement, while reiterating its commitment to the promotion, preservation and strengthening of multilateralism, reaffirms that full respect for the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, particularly those referring to sovereign equality, non-interference and non-intervention, is critical to the effective maintenance of international peace and security. Therefore, the international community must continue to work together on the reversal and elimination of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, given, inter alia, its illegal character and its extraterritorial implications.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of African States on the agenda item entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. This matter continues to be of great importance and concern to the African Group and, indeed, to Africa as a whole. For the fourteenth time, at the thirty-sixth ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union, held in February, our Heads of State and Government reiterated their position calling for the lifting of sanctions on Cuba’s people and Government. The African Group reiterates its position that the illegal sanctions, particularly the implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act, are the main obstacles to Cuba’s realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We also see as a matter of serious concern the unjust inclusion of Cuba by the United States on the list of countries that allegedly support terrorism, which has further exacerbated the financial restrictions on Cuba emanating from the embargo. That inclusion has no real basis. We therefore call for the removal of Cuba from that list. Africa has consistently been concerned about Cuba’s dilemma because of the importance that it attaches to the achievement of the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. As a responsible member of the international community, Cuba has made numerous positive contributions over the decades to Africa and many other States and peoples of the world. The adoption of the annual resolution to end Cuba’s blockade by the United States has for 30 years now represented a call to all countries. The African Group will continue to reaffirm its full support for draft resolution A/78/L.5, and further wishes to express its regret about the setback in the bilateral relations between Cuba and the United States. We call on the United States Government to work towards restoring positive relations and lifting the long-standing blockade imposed on the people and the Government of Cuba. The Africa Group wishes to reiterate that it will remain firm in its principled position of total solidarity with Cuba, its people and its Government, while calling for the immediate end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade. The African Group supports this draft resolution.

At the outset, I welcome the presence of Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla at this debate. A month ago, in this same Hall, the Foreign Minister of Mexico, Ms. Alicia Bárcena Ibarra, called for an end to heinous and unjustifiable situations (see A/78/PV.12). Today we reiterate that call and urge an end to the blockade suffered by Cuba because it is in violation of international law and contrary to the values on which peaceful coexistence among the peoples of the Americas and the Caribbean is based. Mexico categorically condemns the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba for more than six decades, as well as the decision to implement Title III of the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity Act, which has affected not only the sovereignty of the Cuban people but also the national interests of third countries. Given the severe economic situation caused by the effects of the coronavirus disease, high oil prices and the consequences of natural disasters, it is imperative to end the blockade. Only in that way will we be able to reverse the difficult economic and social situation facing the Cuban people and take a decisive step towards the consolidation of a hemisphere that is more prosperous and competitive, but, above all, more just and peaceful. In the same vein, Mexico believes that the inclusion of Cuba on the United States State Department’s list of State sponsors of terrorism has had immeasurable negative consequences for Cuba’s economic and social development. The restriction of exports, the elimination of certain trade benefits, the obstruction of the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the obstacles to obtaining credit from international financial institutions are all unjustifiable and unjust measures that must be suspended. As the Mexican President, Mr. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, has said, the relationship with Latin America and the Caribbean is a priority for the Mexican Government. We have therefore worked hard to strengthen integration processes and to expand dialogue and cooperation with the countries of our region. Mexico reiterates that, in relations between sovereign nations, any unilateral measure conceived as a means of external political pressure to bring about changes in the internal affairs of another State contravenes the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and undermines peace among peoples. We firmly maintain that there should be no unilateral sanctions of any kind other than those adopted by the Security Council. We once again express our firm support for Cuba, a country with which Mexico will continue to work shoulder to shoulder in order to overcome common challenges through cooperation, dialogue and regional integration. Latin America and the Caribbean is a diverse region, but with a spirit of unity that must be strengthened rather than weakened by unilateral policies. We therefore call on the Government of the United States to end the embargo without further delay and to give priority to dialogue in order to resolve its differences with Cuba. The international community owes the Cuban people the opportunity to prosper in an atmosphere of peace and cooperation. It is time to open a new chapter and allow Cuba to fully participate in the global community without the restrictions imposed by the unjust and inhumane embargo.

My delegation aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Zambia, on behalf of the Group of African States, and of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. Namibia reaffirms its unwavering commitment to advocating for the lifting of the unjust embargo against Cuba, which has persisted for over six decades. As a result of that, more than 80 per cent of the country’s current population was born under the blockade. It is imperative that the people of Cuba be granted their rightful access to a dignified life, unburdened by constraints that impede their nation’s progress. Namibia stands in resolute solidarity with Cuba, while persistently supporting its endeavours to end the economic and financial sanctions imposed by the United States. We strongly denounce the labelling of Cuba as a State sponsor of international terrorism by the American Government, and we reiterate our long- standing call for its removal from that list, as such categorization lacks justification. Cuba is viewed by Namibia, along with many other nations worldwide, as a proponent of global peace and unity. That is most expressly felt in Cuba’s bilateral actions, which exemplify goodwill, harmony and a commitment to fostering international peace and cooperation. During the high-level week of the seventy-eighth session of the General Assembly, His Excellency Mr. Hage Geingob, President of the Republic of Namibia, strongly denounced the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on Cuba (see A/78/PV.6). He once again urged the removal of the country from the unilaterally decreed list of State sponsors of terrorism. Those inhumane sanctions pose a significant hindrance to the progress of development initiatives. His Excellency Mr. Geingob further emphasized that lifting the sanctions would enhance the Cuban populace’s quality of life and foster economic and social advancement. We recognize that, since 1992, the General Assembly has consistently voted in favour of resolutions urging the cessation of the embargo on the country. We firmly believe that the failure to implement those resolutions, including their previous iterations fully, will erode the principles of multilateralism and continue to contribute to undermining the credibility of the United Nations. Consequently, we call upon the international community to intensify its efforts towards realizing the objective of lifting the economic and financial embargo. The persistent economic blockade has created significant obstacles for the people of Cuba. Namibia continues to express deep concern and disappointment at the severe and inhumane treatment of Cuba. The ongoing economic blockade has led to the disruption of vital services, notably the supply of medical resources, which are essential for the well-being of Cubans, and has contributed adversely to the attainment of their development aspirations. The bond between Namibia and Cuba remains robust. Cuba was a steadfast ally to Namibia during its fight for independence. In that spirit, we pay tribute to our Cuban brothers and sisters for their courageous sacrifices, which played a pivotal role in securing our freedom. In conclusion, Namibia once again reaffirms its unwavering support for the people of Cuba and their cause against the blockade. We encourage the United States to begin a dialogue with Cuba, based on the equality of States and respect for sovereignty and independence. That, we believe, will pave the way for a new era marked by improved relations between the two countries, ushering in a brighter future for both. My delegation will vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, just as we have in previous years. We look forward to the adoption of the draft resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba with strong support from all delegations in furtherance of their commitments to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the spirit of leaving no one behind.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela appreciates the convening of this plenary meeting to address an issue to which our delegation attaches particular importance. We also extend our warm greetings to His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, who is with us today at this meeting. Our delegation also associates itself with the statements made by the representatives of Uganda, Azerbaijan, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Eritrea. We have no doubt that this will be the thirty-first consecutive occasion on which the General Assembly will reiterate its almost universal call for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial blockade, which the sister Republic of Cuba has resisted with great gallantry, spirit and a patriotic sense of unity for more than 60 years, always with its head held high, without bowing to blackmail or surrendering its revolutionary banners. This is an illegal blockade because it violates every rule of international law and the principles enshrined in the founding Charter of our Organization. It is a blockade that is criminal because it causes death, grief and indiscriminate suffering for an entire people. It is a blockade that is inhumane because it deliberately and systematically violates the human rights of more than 11 million Cubans, and which today represents the main obstacle to the attainment of their inalienable right to development. It is a blockade that constitutes a collective punishment, promotes inequality, social exclusion and systemic racism and whose pernicious effects are clear crimes against humanity. It is a policy of maximum pressure, from which no Cuban family is spared, and which could even be equated with a declaration of war given the fact that such economic aggression, as is well known and has been widely documented, has as destructive and lethal an impact as that caused by conventional wars. That criminal blockade is also a policy of economic terrorism, which, due to its extraterritorial nature, affects any country or entity that seeks to maintain economic, commercial or financial relations with the sister Republic of Cuba in a legal and sovereign manner, while, at the same time, making it impossible for the Cuban State to access the international financial system, as well as credit and financing facilities, including for development. What it is not, despite what the United States Government may claim in order to justify its aggression, is a bilateral issue or an embargo directed solely against Cuba, because that anachronistic and erroneous policy affects the entire international community. Even more serious, it is a blockade that has been expanded and exacerbated in recent years following the implementation of Title III of the Helms-Burton Act and Cuba’s arbitrary inclusion on a unilateral list that classifies it as an alleged sponsor of terrorism. Despite all of that, the United States imperial policy has not achieved, and never will achieve, its objectives in the socialist Cuba of Martí or in the revolutionary Cuba of Fidel, since the people of that brotherly country are determined to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination and to freely, independently and sovereignly define its political, economic, social and cultural system. Despite all those factors, today Cuba continues to renew its humane commitment and its spirit of cooperation and solidarity, providing selfless support and technical assistance to a large number of countries, including Venezuela, in various areas, such as education, sport, health, culture and many others. Cuba has taught us, not by preaching, but by deeds, the true meaning of solidarity — to give not what we have to spare, but to share what we have. It will be difficult for this generation to forget the assistance of dozens of Cuban medical brigades that were deployed throughout the length and breadth of more than 35 countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Middle East and Europe to save the lives of millions of people during the recent coronavirus disease pandemic. It will be equally impossible to forget how, through its own efforts, despite the difficulties imposed by that criminal blockade, Cuba managed to develop five vaccines against the coronavirus, which it made available to entire peoples. That is the great contrast between the humane vision of our sister Cuba and the supremacist and imperialist vision of the United States, the Government of which continues to recklessly deploy thousands of officials to coerce dozens of countries with disease, grief and suffering. We wonder how much more Cuba could provide us with and how much more it could expand its international cooperation if all the obstacles that were illegally and arbitrarily imposed on it more than 60 years ago were removed. How many more resolutions must the General Assembly adopt in order to put an end to the criminal blockade against Cuba once and for all? Have we really not understood that today the world does not need more blockades and unilateralism? The obsolete, unjustifiable and cruel policy of suffocation imposed by the United States against Cuba through its illegal blockade represents the most unjust, severe and prolonged system of unilateral coercive measures ever applied against any country in modern history. According to official figures, over these past six decades, the blockade has resulted in losses exceeding $159 billion, in addition to an immeasurable human cost. All that has been recorded in the most recent report of the Secretary-General (A/78/84). It is a real crime, which affects us all equally, for it is a denial of the political, economic and cultural diversity of the planet and the negation of our right to national sovereignty. Even more serious, it is an attack on the entire system of international relations and an attempt to impose Washington’s national power over the rights of hundreds of countries. From this rostrum, we therefore call for the United States Government to be required to respect the Charter of the United Nations, respect international legality and put an end to all measures that threaten international peace and security, including the criminal application of blockades and other arbitrary and unilateral measures, such as the inclusion of Cuba on a list on which it should never have been. Even today, that list classifies it as an alleged sponsor of terrorism, when the reality and facts are that it is the United States Government that not only promotes that despicable scourge, but also protects, and even provides safe haven to, its perpetrators. The time has come for the cry of the vast majority, who demand in unison the immediate and definitive end to all so-called sanctions regimes, including the embargo imposed against Cuba, to be heard. It is time to put an end to the double standards in implementing international justice, promoting the rule of law and protecting human rights. Let us not continue to tolerate the violations committed — so far with total impunity — by a regime that, with its contemptuous attitude towards world opinion, has become the most isolated State in the world, and whose harmful effects are detrimental to the well-being of our peoples and their right to live in peace and development. Tomorrow, when the draft resolution contained in document A/78/L.5 is submitted for consideration, my delegation will once again not be able to vote in favour of that text precisely because of the application of a criminal blockade illegally imposed against Venezuela by the United States of America. However, we strongly support this draft resolution, and we conclude our statement by calling for a strong vote in favour of it. To vote in favour of this document, the provisions of which, we hope, will be translated into concrete actions, leading to the immediate lifting of the blockade, is to vote in favour of Cuba’s independence; it is to vote in favour of international legality and multilateralism; and, last but not least, it is to vote in favour of the end of neocolonial projects of alleged domination and oppression, based on embargoes and unilateral sanctions, which have no place in this twenty-first century and will therefore continue to be doomed to failure. Let us then continue to wholeheartedly support the entire heroic Cuban people in their just demand. Cuba yes; blockade no. To victory always.

China welcomes Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla to today’s meeting. We align ourselves with the statement delivered by the representative of Uganda on behalf of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China. The midterm review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was conducted this year. At the Sustainable Development Goals Summit, world leaders called on the international community to strengthen unity and cooperation and take urgent actions to accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) so that no country or person is left behind. However, the United States and a few Western countries have engaged in unilateralism, protectionism and bullying and have refused to fulfil their overseas development assistance commitments. They have instead spent large amounts of money on purchasing and exporting weapons, fuelling geopolitical conflicts. Many developing countries are faced with an increasingly worsened external environment. The imposition of unilateral coercive measures against Cuba and other countries by the United States constitutes a violation of the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. Such actions have seriously undermined the international consensus on the 2030 Agenda, severely damaged the rights to survival and development of the people of Cuba and other countries and gravely undermined peace, development and win-win cooperation. They run counter to international trends and have seriously hindered the efforts of all countries to implement the SDGs. They must therefore be stopped immediately. Since 1992, for more than 30 consecutive years, the General Assembly has adopted the resolution on ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba with an overwhelming majority. The resolution urges all countries to abide by the United Nations Charter and the norms of international law and to revoke or abolish any laws and measures that have extraterritorial implications, which affect the sovereignty of other countries and the legitimate rights and interests of entities and individuals within their jurisdiction, as well as the freedom of trade and shipping. Those represent the just cause and strong desire of the international community, which must be effectively implemented. According to the relevant statistics, the more than six-decade United States embargo has caused a cumulative loss of nearly $160 billion to Cuba, affecting areas that have an impact on people’s livelihoods, such as fuel, food, daily necessities and medicines, resulting in serious humanitarian disasters. From March 2022 to February 2023 alone, the embargo caused losses of $4.867 billion, equivalent to three years of food rations for the entire Cuban people. Those facts and figures are alarming, and the international community must not turn a blind eye to that and should condemn them with one voice. It is gratifying to see that the Government and the people of Cuba have never succumbed to the unilateralism and hegemony of the United States. Despite the tremendous pressure and huge losses caused by the embargo, active efforts are still being made to promote global solidarity and international cooperation. This year, Cuba has played a leading role in promoting South-South cooperation while serving as Chair of the Group of 77 and China. It also successfully hosted the G-77 and China Havana Summit and has helped to build important consensus for developing countries to work together in coping with multiple challenges. China deeply appreciates those efforts. All countries in the world have formed a community with a shared future. China has always advocated for respecting the rights of countries to independently choose their social systems and development paths, maintaining the international order based on international law, defending international fairness and justice and opposing the use of military, political, economic or other means to impose unilateral coercive measures on other countries. China strongly urges the United States to immediately and comprehensively lift its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba and to develop normal relations with other Member States, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations Charter and the basic norms governing international relations, as that is in line with the common interests of the people of both the United States and Cuba and is also conducive to regional peace and stability, China will once again vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, submitted by Cuba under this agenda item.

We recognize the presence of His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba. South Africa aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of African States, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Group of 77 and China. We reiterate our principled support for draft resolution A/78/L.5 and call once more on the United States to heed the almost unanimous call by Member States to end its blockade of Cuba, which has impeded the country’s right to development. The Secretary- General’s report (A/78/84) has again highlighted the terrible impact that the embargo has had on Cuba and its people. That remains a grave violation of international law and the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. Such unilateral action cannot be justified. The South African Government and people acknowledge with deep humility the sacrifices made by the Cuban people with their lives to fight for South Africa’s liberation. We pay tribute to Cuba’s selfless generosity and distinguished record in helping those in need around the world in the areas of health, education, emergency relief and development, especially in Africa. They do that despite the economic blockade. Cuba champions the rights of developing countries, and it too has an undeniable right to develop and prosper. South Africa reiterates its unwavering call on the United States to remove the unjust burden of sanctions and to opt for constructive dialogue with Cuba, not its further isolation. South Africa joins the overwhelming majority of States Members of the United Nations in calling for a new chapter of hope for Cuba and its people. The South African Government remains concerned about the destructive impact that the United States embargo has on the lives and livelihoods of the people of Cuba, especially the poor and the vulnerable, and amid the mounting global food and fuel crises. The United States designation of Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism, together with the continued full application of the Helms-Burton Act, including the authorization to file lawsuits in United States courts under its Title III, further hinders Cuba’s economic, commercial and financial relations with third countries. The designation is unfounded, and we call for the removal of Cuba from that list, which is aimed at further punitive actions. United States sanctions represent a major impediment for South African companies in conducting business with Cuba. Nevertheless, relations between South Africa and Cuba continue to serve as a successful model of South-South cooperation. South Africa has recommitted to expanding its existing bilateral cooperation programmes with Cuba, as well as to pursuing new areas of cooperation, such as in infrastructure development, agriculture and science and technology. The United States embargo remains the most significant obstacle for Cuba in its quest to realize its development objectives, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United States sanctions have caused major economic difficulties for Cuba, including shortages of essential items such as food, fuel, medicines and other necessities. South Africa commends the countries that have taken measures to mitigate the specific effects of the Helms-Burton Act and requests third-party countries to scrap any domestic laws or regulations that continue to hamper the development of Cuba and its people. The global commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda remains in jeopardy when the embargo prevents a Member State from fairly participating in its own socioeconomic development. South Africa once again appeals to the international community to redouble its efforts to implement all the United Nations resolutions already adopted by the Organization and for the United States to end its embargo. As we all pursue the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, it is incumbent upon us to ensure that no one is left behind, including our brothers and sisters in Cuba.

Ethiopia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and of Zambia, on behalf of the Group of African States. Unilateral coercive measures constitute a flagrant violation of the principles of international law as set forth in the Charter of the United Nations and the subsequent resolutions. It obstructs friendly relations between States, as well as international cooperation on development, security and human rights. The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba, unlawfully spanning six decades, has prevented the Cuban economy from tapping its full potential to achieve sustainable growth and development. Because of those coercive measures, the Cuban people continue to face economic hardship and humanitarian challenges, and the world cannot benefit from Cuba’s scientific advancements and achievements in various fields. Unilateral coercive measures undermine the policy freedom of States to achieve their development objectives and meet their people’s needs. States subjected to such measures are put at a disadvantage in their efforts to overcome challenges, including climate change, socioeconomic crises, pandemics and transnational security threats. Even with their admirable level of resilience, the unilateral embargo and the additional coercive measures imposed on Cuba have caused a heavy toll on the well-being of the Cuban people. Ethiopia reiterates its call for the lifting of the embargo. Finally, Ethiopia also encourages open and constructive dialogue between the United States and Cuba, which, we believe, paves the way for the swift lifting of the embargo.

I welcome the presence of the Foreign Minister of Cuba, Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla. Argentina aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. Argentina strongly opposes the use of unilateral coercive measures and the adoption of discriminatory business practices. My country has traditionally condemned the blockade policy against Cuba pursued by the United States of America, a practice that has been continuing for more than half a century, and which, in addition to being morally unjustifiable, violates the Charter of the United Nations, the norms of international law and the spirit of multilateralism. Argentina renews its absolute commitment to the principles of the sovereign equality of States, non-intervention in their internal affairs and the freedom of international trade and navigation. The blockade is immoral, unjust and illegal. Allow me to be clear: the perpetuation of the embargo against Cuba is inadmissible. Year after year, with almost unanimous support, the General Assembly calls for the need to end that embargo. It is very clear to the international community that the blockade is the main obstacle to the economic and social development of the Cuban people. In the complex international context that we are experiencing, the embargo imposed on Cuba has become more inhumane and unjustifiable than ever and has brought only suffering and hardship to the Cuban people. The blockade has serious humanitarian and economic costs, which cause irreparable damage to the well-being of the Cuban population. Indeed, the blockade hinders the realization of basic rights, such as health, education and food, education, tourism, transport, industry and culture, just to mention a few areas. In addition, it causes damage to all spheres of the country’s economy, as it acts as a barrier to the granting of concessional credit to the country under favourable conditions, the transfer of state-of-the-art technologies, the mobilization of foreign capital, the attraction of foreign direct investment, the protection of the environment and the full integration of the country into the world economy. We also express our disagreement with the unjust inclusion of Cuba on the list of alleged State sponsors of terrorism, which, in addition to being an unsubstantiated categorization, has increased the intimidating effect of the restrictions associated with the embargo and has lessened Cuba’s possibilities of establishing commercial and financial relations with international partners. In that regard, we urge the Government of the United States of America to put an end to such measures. Despite the limitations imposed by the embargo and the measures that we have just mentioned, Cuba manages to maintain its prominence and leadership in various areas of international cooperation and solidarity. Argentina expresses its full support for Cuba, declares its adherence to the principle of the legal equality of all States with respect to their sovereignty and affirms that unrestricted respect for all differences, whether economic, political or otherwise, must prevail. The blockade against Cuba must end. It is the longest system of unilateral sanctions ever applied against any country. Since 1992, the General Assembly has voted annually, by an overwhelming majority, in favour of respect for international law, compliance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the right of the Cuban people to choose their own destiny for themselves. Argentina will vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, demonstrating once again its firm opposition to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed against Cuba, as well as to the use of unilateral coercive measures, the extraterritorial application of national trade laws and the adoption of discriminatory trade practices. We hope that we will not have to adopt any more resolutions of this kind in the future and, in that way, will put an end once and for all to the unjust blockade against Cuba.

My delegation aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Azerbaijan, Uganda and Singapore on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, the Group of 77 and China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, respectively. We echo their sentiments in calling for an immediate end to the economic embargo imposed by the United States of America on Cuba. We thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report (A/78/84) on this important matter. I join other speakers in extending our warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, to the Assembly. The Lao People’s Democratic Republic stands firmly in solidarity with the Cuban people, emphasizing that the embargo, which has persisted for more than six decades, is in direct contradiction to the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and established international norms. That prolonged embargo has severely hindered Cuba’s social and economic development, depriving its people of the ability to advance their national development efforts. In the face of the multifaceted challenges confronting our world today, from natural disasters and economic hardships to widespread armed conflicts, it is morally indefensible to impose additional deprivation on innocent people. Therefore, we stand united with the overwhelming majority of States Members of the United Nations, echoing the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, as set out in various United Nations resolutions. In the current global landscape, marked by uncertainty and crises, it is more crucial than ever for Cuba, a sovereign State Member of the United Nations, to determine its own destiny without external interference or hindrance. Like many countries, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic strongly opposes unilateral coercive measures. Not only do they violate the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law, but they also inflict negative social and economic impacts on innocent civilians, depriving them of their legitimate right to development. On that note, we reiterate our steadfast support for the global call for an immediate end to the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Cuba and to remove it from the list of State sponsors of terrorism. In that regard, my delegation will continue to support and vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. In conclusion, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic urges all Member States to amplify our collective commitment to fostering equitable and sustainable development, while safeguarding the legitimate rights of all countries, as enshrined in the United Nations Charter, especially in the midst of such challenging global uncertainty. It is our shared responsibility to ensure that the people of Cuba, like all nations, have the opportunity to thrive and determine their own destiny.

Allow me first of all to welcome His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, to this important meeting. Cambodia associates itself with the statements delivered in the name of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations, the Group of 77 and China and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. My delegation wishes to join other representatives in expressing gratitude to the Secretary-General for his report (A/78/84), which reflects consistent and overwhelming support of Member States for the agenda item “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. My delegation wishes to reaffirm Cambodia’s support in that regard by calling for an end to the unjust embargo on the people of Cuba. Cambodia is firmly committed to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, international law, multilateralism, free trade and other internationally accepted norms. We believe that they serve as the bedrock of a just and equitable global order — peace, stability, security and development for all to share. We are celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights. Just weeks ago, at the general debate, leader after leader spoke at this organ on the need to revitalize the momentum towards achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. But the entire people of Cuba are still deprived of their rights to development by decades of an embargo unjustly imposed on them by the United States. There is no doubt that the imposition of unilateral sanctions, embargoes or other coercive economic measures go against the fundamental principles of the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, which we all commit to uphold. The same is true of the extraterritorial extension of such unilateral coercive measures against third countries. They constitute actions that contravene the principles of equal mutual respect for the sovereignty of States, independence, non-interference in the internal affairs of other States and equal rights to socioeconomic development. The United States’ unilateral imposition of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba has adverse impacts on the lives and livelihood of the Cuban people, depriving them of the means to fully enjoy their fundamental human rights and their right to freedom from all wants. Cambodia is of the view that the blockade imposed over the past six decades does not benefit anyone. The unjust and discriminatory policy not only has caused hardship to the Cuban people, but is also contrary to our commitment to leave no behind in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals. By lifting the embargo, the United States would contribute to the global effort to create a more just, sustainable, prosperous and peaceful world for all. In conclusion, Cambodia reiterates its consistent stance of joining with the international community and standing in solidarity with the Government and people of Cuba by voting in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. We call on the United States to immediately lift its unjust blockade on the people of Cuba so as to allow them to contribute to peace, security and international development. In addition, Cuba should be removed from the list of States sponsoring terrorism.

The Republic of Belarus aligns itself with the statements made on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. We welcome the participation of Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. The Republic of Belarus categorically opposes unilateral coercive measures against Member States. The pressure exerted through such measures is nothing more than direct interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States with the aim of inflicting maximum economic damage and overthrowing their Governments. Unilateral restrictions are a gross violation of international law and cause irreparable damage to the entire system of international relations and the principle of multilateral cooperation by increasing the potential for conflict and animosity in intergovernmental relations. The continuing economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba is a flagrant violation of the human rights of all inhabitants of the island. It constitutes an act of genocide within the meaning of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Restrictions on trade, currency, banking and tourism continue to have a negative impact on the well- being of the Cuban people. The restrictions imposed not only violate human rights, but also deprive the authors of the sanctions of any moral right to comment on the human rights situation in the countries on which they have imposed restrictions. The effects of the economic embargo against Cuba limit the country’s economic growth, discourage foreign investment and hamper trade relations with third countries, thus violating the legitimate rights of States to cooperate fully with Havana. We note yet again the lack of progress in resolving the current situation. We call on the United States Administration to reconsider its decision and to replace it with a full, unconditional and irreversible end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. Belarus will vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5.

Algeria aligns itself with the declarations made on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, the Group of 77 and China, the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations, the Group of African States and the Group of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and I would like to make a statement in my national capacity. Allow me, at the outset, to welcome His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. Today’s debate on the need to lift the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba reflects the great importance of this issue, reflects the great importance of that issue, which continues to engage the international community through the course of several General Assembly meetings. In that regard, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Secretary- General, Mr. António Guterres, for his comprehensive report (A/78/84) containing the responses of States Members of the United Nations  — including my own country  — and its organs and agencies on the implementation of resolution 77/7, on the issue. The adoption each year by the overwhelming majority of Member States of a resolution calling for the immediate lifting of the blockade imposed on Cuba sends a very powerful message. It reflects the unwavering support of the international community for lifting the unjustified blockade that has been imposed on Cuba and its people for six decades now, in violation of international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. From this rostrum, Algeria reiterates its solidarity with Cuba and reaffirms its call to immediately lift the unjustified embargo, which continues to exacerbate the suffering of an entire people by unfairly depriving them of their fundamental rights. It also hinders their efforts for development and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. I would like to point out here that Algeria has always advocated for Cuba to benefit, like other Member States, from the right to freedom of navigation and commerce and to exercise its right to expand its commercial and financial exchanges with any other economic partner. In compliance with the principled position of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, Algeria will continue to categorically reject the imposition of any unilateral coercive measures or extraterritorial regulations that hinder the economic, commercial or financial development of a Member State. The sovereign equality of States, respect for the territorial integrity of States and non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of States remain deeply anchored in the principles and fundamentals of my country’s foreign policy. In that regard, Algeria reiterates its full solidarity with the Cuban Government and people and calls for an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba, based on full respect for international law, the principles of the Charter of the United Nations and the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

The Kenyan delegation would like to offer its warm greetings to His Excellency Mr. Rodríguez Parrilla, Cuba’s Minister for Foreign Affairs. Kenya aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Zambia, on behalf of the Group of African States; Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; and Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. The embargo on Cuba represents a long-standing contradiction of the foundational principles of the United Nations. Today, as we gather here for the thirty-first time, we are deliberating on that affront to the principles that define statehood according to the Charter of the United Nations. The Charter emphasizes the right to sovereignty and non-interference, and also enshrines our collective will to achieve development and prosperity. However, despite those foundational principles, Cuba is bearing the brunt of the double standards that degrade the trust we so desperately need in each other. A decade ago, a swimmer bridged the 166-kilometre gap between Cuba and the United States, marking the shortest distance between the two countries. Instead of embargoes, exclusion and punitive measures, the peoples of such close neighbours would greatly benefit from open exchanges of ideas, goods and services. Such mutual exchanges lay the groundwork for lasting ties that are vital to the United Nations, which seeks to cultivate peace and prosperity for all. The embargo is part of an unfortunate phenomenon featuring broader sanctions that punishes civilians indiscriminately and renders the countries targeted more fragile in the face of unnatural, human-made shocks. It is also reshaping the global economy in a manner that knocks down the ladder to prosperity touted by the wealthiest countries as they cheer on globalization. United Nations Member States should be bound by international law and abide by their aspirations to a multilateralism that respects every Member State as equal. That is all that is standing between us and the dangerous law of the jungle in which might is right. Generalized sanctions and embargoes are tools from an unfortunate bygone era that generate such ill will and injury that they end up harming even the objective interests of those who wield them. Kenya firmly stands with Cuba, as we have done in the preceding years and decades. It is why we will always vote in favour of the annual draft resolution (A/78/L.5), while always hoping that each vote will be the last when the embargo is eventually lifted.

I would like to extend a warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. Viet Nam aligns itself with the statements made by the representatives of Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries; Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 (G-77) and China; and Singapore, on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The economic, commercial and financial embargo on Cuba constitutes a violation of international law and runs counter to the fundamental purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations. It has now gone on for 60 years and is the most prolonged system of unilateral sanctions ever imposed on a country, inflicting enormous socioeconomic damage and suffering on the people of Cuba. It is impossible to measure the full scope of its negative impacts on Cuba’s human development. They include decades of lost opportunities for investment in enhancing human capital and productive capacity, which could have been achieved through international development assistance, access to capital markets, trade and foreign direct investment activities. All of those have been severely restricted or even denied due to the decades-long financial and commercial embargo, and their effects have been further exacerbated by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The embargo will continue to hinder Cuba’s efforts to achieve sustained economic growth, realize the Sustainable Development Goals and deliver a better future for its people. As we gear up for the future, it is generations of Cubans who are at risk of being left behind, unable to fulfil their aspirations to live in peace, prosperity and progress. Viet Nam experienced first-hand the hardship of trade embargoes and fully understands the damage and obstacles that they entail. We maintain a consistent policy of opposing the imposition of unilateral policy measures, including embargoes on sovereign States. We will therefore vote unreservedly in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5. In doing so, we join the overwhelming majority of the United Nations membership that has been calling for the lifting of the economic embargo on Cuba in the General Assembly for the past 31 years. The continuation of the embargo against Cuba is unjust, unjustifiable and unpopular. It is unfair not only to the people of Cuba but to the people all over the world who have benefited or could potentially benefit from Cuba’s support and assistance. Whether in a context of hurricanes hitting neighbouring Caribbean islands or of earthquakes in the Middle East, Cuba always expeditiously sends humanitarian relief. As a long-standing beneficiary of Cuba’s assistance, Viet Nam was particularly grateful for Cuba’s provision of COVID-19 vaccines as the pandemic raged across the globe in 2021. Those are only a few examples of Cuba’s rich tradition of South-South cooperation. Cuba is an active member of the global South and currently the Chair of the G-77. Its contributions to the international community are laudable. It is therefore inconceivable that a country that has worked tirelessly to strengthen international solidarity, given so generously to others and championed the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries can be classified as a State sponsor of terrorism. That designation has only multiplied Cuba’s difficulties, leading to its banning from many banking services and preventing its access to financial markets and resources, and it has harmed the development and well-being of Cuba’s population. We urge the United States to immediately remove Cuba from its list of countries that sponsor terrorism and end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, the first of the many steps needed to reverse its current policy towards Cuba. It is our fervent hope that the United States and Cuba can engage in constructive dialogue and work to normalize their relations. Based on equality, reciprocity and respect for one another’s national sovereignty and political independence, that will benefit both peoples and contribute to peace, stability and sustainable development in the region and the world alike. Viet Nam stands ready to share its experience and do its part to foster dialogue and mutual trust in that progress. My delegation would like to reiterate Viet Nam’s strong friendship, cooperation and solidarity with our courageous brother people of Cuba.

At the outset, Trinidad and Tobago aligns itself with the statements made earlier by the representatives of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries; Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States; and Saint Lucia, on behalf of the Caribbean Community. We also welcome the presence of His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. Trinidad and Tobago remains resolute in its principled view that discriminatory trade practices and the extraterritorial application of domestic laws are in violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, and only serve to undermine our collective ambitions enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Such practices undermine global solidarity, multilateralism and genuine cooperation, which underpin our collective efforts to accelerate action towards peace, prosperity, progress and sustainable development. The economic, commercial and financial embargo unjustly imposed on Cuba continues to impede the country’s potential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and hinders the Cuban people’s full enjoyment of their human rights, including the right to development. The opposition to this anachronistic policy is now almost universal, with the General Assembly adopting the annual resolution on the subject every year since 1992, condemning the ongoing impact of the embargo and declaring it in violation of the Charter and international law. Trinidad and Tobago therefore welcomed with enthusiasm and hope the reopening in 2015 of direct and frank dialogue between both parties, and the adoption of resolution 71/5 during the seventy-first session of the General Assembly, when not a single Member State voted against it. Regrettably, however, that optimism was short-lived, and additional restrictions through the Helms-Burton Act were imposed in a move that Trinidad and Tobago maintains is inconsistent with international law. The unconvincing designation of Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism also only serves to deepen the chasm of mistrust and further frustrate any possibility for the normalization of diplomatic relations. In conclusion, Trinidad and Tobago will continue to support regional and international efforts to promote constructive dialogue to bring an end to the embargo on Cuba, which significantly challenges the achievement of sustainable development in that country and, by extension, the wider Caribbean region. I should like to add that in our collective pursuit of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability, it is imperative to leave no one behind. For that reason, Trinidad and Tobago once again reaffirms its consistent call for ceasing the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba sooner rather than later, and for the full and unconditional reintegration of Cuba into the international system. Trinidad and Tobago will therefore continue its full support to draft resolution A/78/L.5, on the necessity of ending the United States’ economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.

We welcome the presence of the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, in the General Assembly today. We want to once again raise our voice today against the unilateral coercive measures that have been imposed on Cuba, a country that is our friend and a member of the community of nations. The embargo on Cuba is one of the measures that has the General Assembly has most often condemned since 1992. For the vast majority of States, it is clear that those measures are contrary to international law and the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. However, it has been more than 20 years and, unfortunately, the recommendations of the General Assembly have not been heeded. In particular, the measures affect the population, damaging the exercise and effective enjoyment of their economic, social, cultural and environmental rights. At the same time, the prolonged blockade negatively affects the creation of jobs and opportunities, weakening the social and productive fabric of the country. Aware of those consequences, my country will continue to support, in various multilateral forums, the call of the international community to put an end to unilateral coercive measures imposed on Cuba. Those measures, unfortunately, have been compounded by the unjust unilateral inclusion of Cuba in the list of countries sponsoring terrorism. I would urge members to raise their voices together to demand, once again and hopefully once and for all, the end of the unjustified blockade against Cuba, which also contravenes the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. I would like to conclude by recalling and expressing our gratitude for the important role that Cuba has played, and continues to play, for the consolidation of peace in Colombia.

The delegation of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea associates itself with the statements made by the representatives of Azerbaijan, Uganda and Eritrea on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, the Group of 77 and China and the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter, respectively. To put an end as soon as possible to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed unilaterally by the United States against Cuba is the unanimous demand of the States Members of the United Nations that wish to achieve sustainable development in a peaceful environment. From the first day of the foundation of the Republic of Cuba, the United States has been imposing an overall economic embargo on Cuba for the sole reason that the Cuban people had chosen the socialist system. Owing to the prolonged, brutal blockade by the United States, the Cuban people have been subjected to immeasurable misfortunes and pains and suffered an astronomical economic loss over the past 60 years. In recent months alone, the Biden Administration decided to extend the sanctions on Cuba for another year in accordance with the Trading with the Enemy Act. The unilateral blockade that threatens the sovereignty and the right to existence of the Cuban people is the outcome of the United States hostile policy towards Cuba. It draws condemnation and denunciation from the international community as days go by and leads only to the isolation of the United States itself. At the summit meeting of the Group of 77 and China that took place in Havana in September, many countries condemned the unjust embargo of the United States on Cuba and called for its immediate withdrawal. It is an expression of firm and strong solidarity of the international community with the Government and the people of Cuba in the struggle for their righteous cause. My delegation condemns and rejects the United States coercive measures against Cuba as a violation of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, which stipulate the principles of respect for sovereignty, sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs, and as a crime against humanity. We strongly demand that the United States lift unconditionally and with no further delay the extraterritorial economic and financial embargo against Cuba and delist Cuba as a State sponsor of terrorism. The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea delegation will vote in favour of the draft resolution on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba (A/78/L.5), proceeding from the principled stand of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Group of 77 against all forms of unilateral sanctions. In conclusion, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea delegation avails itself of this opportunity to reiterate its firm support to, and solidarity with, the Government and the people of Cuba in their efforts to safeguard their national dignity and sovereignty and achieve further economic development.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representatives of Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; Eritrea. on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the United Nations Charter; and Azerbaijan. on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. We would like to make the following remarks in our national capacity. At the outset, we welcome the participation of Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, in considering this important and historic item on the General Assembly’s agenda. I would like to reaffirm the unwavering and continued support of the Syrian Arab Republic, its leaders and its people for the resistance of the brothers and sisters in friendly Cuba, who are subjected to the unjust and illegal blockade imposed by the United States against them since 1962. The Syrian Arab Republic reaffirms our full commitment to, and strong support for, the United Nations resolutions calling for the immediate lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed on Cuba. That unjust embargo is a flagrant violation of human rights, international humanitarian law and relevant resolutions of international legitimacy. My country’s delegation is proud to vote in favour of this draft resolution (A/78/L.5) and similar ones throughout every session of the General Assembly. The aim of continued discussions on this important item is to unify our calls on the consecutive United States Administrations to lift their unjust blockade against the people of Cuba and abandon their policies based on imposing illegal unilateral sanctions on peoples and States. Those sanctions are worsening every day. In 2019 alone, they were stepped up with the addition of 243 new coercive measures against Cuba. Regarding this suffocating blockade, the rate of poverty among Cuban families has increased owing to the difficulties faced by the Government in providing them with food subsidised by the State. Last year, that cost totalled more than $2 billion. To date, the United States has continued its coercive illegal measures targeting all vital and essential sectors for the lives of the Cuban people by prosecuting companies, vessels and freight companies sending fuel to Cuba and targeting all sources of revenue and monetary transfer, intimidating Governments and banking institutions along with businessmen who are undertaking activities with Cuba in all regions of the world. That is a United States strategy to isolate Cuba and cause its economic collapse. A number of banks have therefore brought an end to their relations with Cuba, including money transfers to purchase food, medicine and fuel, as well as targeting economic development and foreign trade sectors, the pharmaceutical industry, technology, energy, sport and other sectors. Dozens of Cuban diplomatic missions worldwide have lost their relations with banks, which traditionally provided them with services, out of fear of revenge by the United States Government. Despite all of that, Cuba still maintains its scientific advances and medical excellence. It has provided medical services to more than 69 developing countries and has produced vaccines and medicines based on its national expertise. During the Group of 77 and China summit, Cuba found new ways of restoring trust in Cuba’s economy to break the unjust and inhumane blockade against the Cuban people. The Syrian Arab Republic, as is the case with Cuba and other countries in the world, is still a target of many unilateral coercive measures imposed by the United States and the European Union, unilaterally and illegally, outside the context of the United Nations and international legitimacy. That is considered economic terrorism that affects the daily lives of all Syrians, depriving them of their basic needs, and also limiting the ability of the Syrian Government to provide services and support to those in need. Accordingly, my country reiterates its demand for an immediate and final end to the policies of imposing unilateral coercive measures against the peoples of the world and preventing them from enjoying human rights, including the right to development and social welfare. (spoke in Spanish) In conclusion, the Syrian Arab Republic stands in solidarity with its sisters and brothers in Cuba and supports their resistance against the inhumane economic blockade imposed by the United States. The Cuban people have a right to life and to dream and to hope. Whomever believes it is their right or in their power to subvert the Cuban people is profoundly mistaken. This is a small island that has resisted the harshest of winds and defied the fiercest sieges in history. No one has the right to extinguish humankind’s desire for freedom. Until the end, Syria will stand with Cuba.

We welcome the participation in today’s meeting of Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. We align ourselves with the joint statement delivered by the representative of Eritrea on behalf of the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations, and we would also like to make a number of points in our national capacity. Our position is determined not only by our long- standing and special relationship with the brotherly people of the island of freedom, but also by our rejection of international legal arbitrariness in the spirit of the so-called rules-based order. Together with the overwhelming majority of the international community, we demand the immediate and unconditional lifting of the American economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. We support the provisions of draft resolution A/78/L.5, submitted by Cuba to the General Assembly. We strongly object to the United States of America’s gross violations of the fundamental principles of international law and the Charter. The actions of the United States and its allies in imposing unilateral illegal sanctions in circumvention of the Security Council are blatantly neocolonial in nature and are based on systematic attempts to persecute and suppress undesirable regimes around the world. While hypocritically portraying sanctions against countries and entire peoples as non-military responses to crimes against humanity and as their international obligations, the United States prefers to ignore the dire consequences of its own actions, which have severe humanitarian consequences for ordinary people around the world. The anti-Cuban embargo is a typical example of Washington’s foreign policy pressure in the Monroe Doctrine, which has been revived by the United States and involves blatant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign country, demonstrating disregard for humanitarian values and human rights. The blockade of a sovereign State that poses no threat to the United States or its citizens and the use of restrictions as a norm of intergovernmental relations undermine the foundations of global and regional stability and development. Other delegations, including Cuba’s neighbours in the region, who are facing the secondary and tertiary consequences of the anti-Cuban sanctions, have become increasingly vocal about that. We believe that the Secretary-General, whose responsibility it is to promote the implementation of the decisions of the General Assembly, should pay special attention to that issue. However, that is not all. The United States Government’s consistent practice for more than 60 years of stifling the will of the Cuban people to resist is nothing less than an unprecedented challenge to the entire system of international relations. The way the United States understands abiding by international law — or rather, disregarding it — is becoming increasingly clear and should serve as a clear example to those who have doubts. It is probably worth recalling that there have been arrogant attempts to divide the world into democracies and authoritarian regimes, against which, according to the logic of the United States and its allies, it is possible and necessary to impose punitive illegal sanctions as an instrument of collective punishment for a country’s free choice to have its own path of development and socioeconomic system. Let me also recall that just recently in this Hall, Members States at the Sustainable Development Goals Summit marked the crossing of the mid-way point in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  — a political declaration that was supported by all, including the United States delegation, and adopted with pomp. In that declaration, we agreed that no one should be left behind. But the continued embargo against Cuba is the very antithesis of sustainable development, completely devaluing the much-publicized United States efforts to promote international development. The embargo seriously hampers the realization of large-scale socioeconomic transformations in the country, causes enormous damage to the economy and significantly reduces ability to expand trade, inter-bank cooperation and financial transactions with foreign counterparties, all of which hinders Havana’s full-scale integration into the global financial and economic architecture, ultimately blocking its ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The enormous losses that the United States embargo has inflicted on the Cuban economy are clear. The figures speak for themselves: according to Cuba, from March 2022 to February 2023, Cuba’s losses resulting from the United States embargo amounted to more than $4.8 billion — more than $405 million a month. As of October 2023, the total loss to the Cuban economy over the history of the embargo has reached $159 billion. In humanitarian terms, the embargo is a major barrier to the full realization of human rights in Cuba, primarily in the areas of social and economic development, health care, education, energy and food security. The United States attempts to portray Cuba — which provides assistance to the needy all over the world, including by sending teams of professionally trained doctors and medical supplies — as a State sponsor of terrorism, are particularly disgusting. However, that is actually no surprise; even during the coronavirus disease pandemic, Washington refused to provide exemptions to the sanctions against Cuba, which would have enabled Havana to purchase vaccines, medical oxygen, ventilators and other life-saving products. Another element that is not taken into account is Cuba’s constructive and responsible role and well- deserved authority in world affairs and creative and supportive contribution to promoting regional integration processes. The Group of 77 recently held a successful summit on science, technology and innovation in Havana, demonstrating Cuba’s importance as a platform for dialogue. We believe that the continuation of the United States trade, economic and financial embargo against Cuba is not only counterproductive, but also illegal and inhumane. That unjustified measure highlights the inhumane nature of the United States policy in the face of the absolute majority of the global community, including even its own allies. We regret that 30 years of adopting annual General Assembly resolutions has not been enough to lift the blockade. In that regard, we hope that the United States Administration and Congress will finally heed the clearly expressed universal call and start lifting the anti-Cuban embargo and removing Cuba from the list of State sponsors of terrorism, without any preconditions or infringement of its national sovereignty. In reaffirmation of our principled position, we will once again unconditionally support the draft resolution. Our country’s position with regard to the need to end the United States embargo against Cuba is expressed in the statement of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the General Assembly and the Parliaments of the Member States. We have sent the relevant text to the Secretariat to be distributed as a document of the General Assembly.

Guyana aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Saint Lucia, on behalf of the Caribbean Community; Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on behalf of the Community of Latin America and the Caribbean; and Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries on the necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. We also wish to acknowledge the presence of His Excellency Mr. Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba, and his delegation. Since the forty-sixth session of the General Assembly in 1991, we have gathered every year to consider this unjust embargo and its devastating impact on the Cuban people. Over that period of more than three decades, the international community has consistently and overwhelmingly, through its vote on this resolution, demonstrated that the embargo is a failed policy that is inconsistent with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations. The Government of Guyana maintains its principled position in favour of the resolution calling for the lifting of the embargo, consistent with our long- standing support for Cuba’s right to fully pursue its economic development. Guyana therefore calls again on the Government of the United States to end the use of that unilateral measure. We also call upon the United States to remove Cuba from the list of State sponsors of terrorism. The Cuban Government has been forced to contend with both the practical and the reputational consequences of that misguided, unjust and unsubstantiated designation. The designation added even more hardships to the already incalculable and deeply damaging effects of the embargo on the Cuban economy. Last year, Guyana and Cuba celebrated a significant milestone  — 50 years of diplomatic relations. During those five decades, we have benefited greatly from Cuba’s active and selfless contributions to socioeconomic development. The progress Guyana has made in the health and well-being of its population is owed in large part to that generosity, through Cuba’s training of hundreds of Guyanese doctors. Despite the hardships faced by the Cuban Government and people in the development of their own country, owing to the impacts of the embargo, the country continues to provide much-needed support to other developing countries, not just in the Latin American and Caribbean region but across the globe. Such cooperation must be applauded and encouraged, and not prevented. Indeed, if there is a list that Cuba should be on, it is that of true partners for development. However, we are cognizant that if we are to achieve the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals of leaving no one behind — a promise that is seemingly drifting beyond our reach — then it is imperative that we remove any obstacle that will stand in the way. The economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States is a clear impediment to Cuba’s efforts in that regard. To conclude, I wish to reaffirm the commitment of the Government of Guyana to supporting the people of Cuba and their call for the removal of this embargo. There remains an opportunity for our Cuban and American friends, separated by just 90 miles of water, to bridge the divides between them. We encourage the charting of a new course of engagement in constructive dialogue and establishing new bonds, rooted in a shared desire to improve the daily lives of the Cuban people  — and indeed, in the peace, security and development of our region.

Let me, from the outset, state that the Commonwealth of Dominica joins the overwhelming majority of the international community in calling for the immediate lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against the Republic of Cuba. This economic blockade, which has been in place for more than 60 years, is an egregious violation of the rights of the Cuban people and cannot be justified. It is a classic case of unilateral coercive measures applied against a country and remains the main obstacle to the full development of the Cuban economy. Furthermore, it has a grave impact on the livelihood of the ordinary Cuban citizen. As a result, the Cuban economy has come under extraordinary pressures, reflected in industry, service provision, retail trade and shortages of food and medicine, and in a decline in the consumption levels and general welfare of the Cuban population. In recent months, systematic efforts have been made to attain energy stability in a very complex situation, given the insufficient readiness of power plants resulting from the lack of fuel, spare parts and other essential resources essential to their repair and maintenance. The few providers that continue to supply Cuba with those products have increased their prices considerably based on country risk. The Commonwealth of Dominica has enjoyed warm neighbourly relations with the Republic of Cuba. The Commonwealth of Dominica has neither promulgated nor applied any law or measure that in any way hinders the freedom of trade with, and navigation to and from, the Republic of Cuba. The Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica has embraced, and will continue to embrace, the Government and the people of the Republic of Cuba as a fellow member of the United Nations, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of our America, and as a sister nation of the Caribbean. Many of our citizens have benefited tremendously from the Cuban eye care programme, with major improvements in the restoration of vision to beneficiaries. Cuba continues to provide training for our medical doctors to specialize in various disciplines, while further supporting our health-care system with nurses, who have been instrumental in advancing our primary health-care system. Cuba also provides technical support in agriculture to the Commonwealth of Dominica, ensuring that our food security is protected. Cuba has the capacity to produce more than 60 per cent of its medicines; however, those levels have not been guaranteed for months, owing to the impact of the blockade on the country’s ability to pay its suppliers. The Commonwealth of Dominica also reiterates the call for the removal of Cuba from the United States Department of State unilateral list of State sponsors of terrorism, as that listing has exacerbated the situation. Cuba has upheld the Charter of the United Nations and has always called on the international community to engage in diplomacy with a view to resolving conflicts. Finally, my delegation wishes to again place on record that imminent and decisive action must be taken to have this embargo lifted and have the rights of the Cuban people restored.

Angola aligns itself with the statements made by the representatives of Zambia, on behalf of the Group of African States; Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; and Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries. Let me thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/78/84) and encourage his efforts to put an end to the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. Allow me also to recognize and welcome the Cuban delegation, led by His Excellency Mr. Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba. The United States embargo on Cuba is one of the most burning diplomatic issues we face today because it has been prevailing for decades, even though it is contrary to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to international human rights law. That is shown by the successive debates in various international forums, including the United Nations, where time and time again Member States have overwhelmingly voted for its immediate and unconditional end. For more than 60 years, Cuba has been suffering the effects and the consequences of this situation, which penalizes the Cuban population by preventing the implementation of social and economic programmes and the integration of the country in the international trading system. Cuba continues to experience major economic and social challenges due to the impact of restrictions, discriminatory conditions and barriers and imposed measures that are not compatible with the multilateral trade system, as well as the blockage to finance and its effect on extraterritorial application on third markets. Under those circumstances, the country has limited access to the acquisition of appropriate equipment, technology and pharmaceutical products, and has to resort to intermediaries and substitutes at exorbitant prices and inferior quality to respond to the population’s needs. Therefore, the measures I mentioned are preventing Cuba from achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and leave the country at risk of falling behind in our collective effort to better humankind. The report of the Secretary-General (A/78/84) draws a clear conclusion that the continuation of the United States economic, financial and commercial embargo against Cuba and the inclusion of this country in the list of States that sponsor terrorism are incompatible with the international system grounded in the rule of law. Moreover, that is a blatant manifestation of the exercise of political and economic unilateral power in clear violation of human rights, including the right to development. Angola calls once again for the end of the United States economic, commercial and financial embargo, as well as the unilateral and coercive measures imposed against Cuba because they threaten and violate fundamental human rights, including the right to self-determination and an adequate standard of living, especially in the light of the current global economic and food crises, which require a multilateral approach and international solidarity. We reaffirm our commitment to continue to support all initiatives and relevant United Nations resolutions to end the embargo against Cuba, based on the respect for, and in compliance with, the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter and the obligation of States under international law. Angola encourages the United States of America and Cuba to redouble their diplomatic efforts by engaging in a constructive and transparent dialogue in order to reach a comprehensive and lasting political understanding to foster mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation. Finally, we urge all delegations to strongly support the draft resolution submitted by the Cuban delegation under agenda item 38, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” (A/78/L.5).

Malaysia aligns itself with the statements delivered by the representatives of Singapore, on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; Azerbaijan, on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries; Uganda, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; and Mauritania, on behalf of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. Malaysia has been, and will continue to be, one of the countries that strongly opposes the imposition of unilateral coercive measures against any country, including Cuba. Malaysia views such measures as contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, the Charter of the United Nations and the norms and principles of peaceful relations among States. Malaysia believes that such unilateral coercive measures have severely restricted Cuba’s ability to improve its economy and provide the necessary basic needs for its people. They also restrict free and open business across borders and hamper the social development of the general population. The unilateral coercive measures have become the stumbling block for Cuba in attaining its Sustainable Development Goals, which is contrary to the spirit of leaving no one behind, as promised by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Between March 2022 to February 2023, the blockade incurred more than $4.8 billion in losses for Cuba. It is a huge amount of money that could have been used to provide for food and other basic necessities. It could have been used to provide for better health care. It could have been used to provide for better education. Malaysia is also of the strong conviction that such unilateral embargoes will only cause social problems and raise humanitarian concerns in the States targeted. Therefore, we have always been supportive of the annual General Assembly draft resolution presented by Cuba (A/78/L.5), which calls on the United States to end its unilateral economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba, immediately and unconditionally. Malaysia calls for the United States and Cuba to resolve their differences through peaceful means and avoid any actions that could be detrimental to regional peace and stability. Malaysia encourages both the United States and Cuba to immediately normalize ties and pursue renewed economic engagement.

We recognize the presence of His Excellency Mr. Bruno Eduardo Rodríguez Parrilla, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cuba. Zimbabwe aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the Group of African States, the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries and the Group of Friends in Defence of the Charter of the United Nations. Zimbabwe wishes to express its deep concern regarding the long-standing economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States against Cuba. The report of the Secretary-General (A/78/84) that we are discussing today informs us that the embargo, which has been in place for over six decades, continues to inflict significant hardship on the Cuban people and undermines the principle of sovereignty, non-interference in the internal affairs of States and the peaceful coexistence of nations, which are the very foundation of the United Nations. The Assembly has consistently called for an end to this embargo, with an overwhelming majority of Member States denouncing this unilateral policy year after year. That position underscores the collective commitment to the principles of international law and the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter. It is imperative that we uphold those principles, which are at the core of our Organization. The embargo remains a significant obstacle to Cuba’s economic growth and hinders the full realization of its people’s potential and the achievement of the ambitions of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The people of Cuba, despite the enormous challenges posed by this protracted embargo, have demonstrated resilience and perseverance; however, the continuation of this heinous policy has been a stumbling block to the remarkable progress in various sectors, such as health care, education and sustainable development. My country, Zimbabwe, also reeling under the effects of unilateral coercive measures, fully understands that these sanctions are an affront to the right to self- determination and a blunt instrument of coercion that has no place in the current context of progressive geopolitics and international law. Zimbabwe reiterates its call for the immediate and unconditional lifting of the embargo against Cuba. The continued application of such unilateral measures undermines the spirit of unilateralism and the United Nations itself. We firmly believe that constructive dialogue, cooperation and diplomacy should be the guiding principles in our interactions with other Member States. Moreover, amid global challenges such as the lingering effects of the coronavirus disease pandemic, conflict, climate change and the weak global economy, it is crucial that countries come together to support one another. The embargo against Cuba impedes its participation in international efforts to combat the multidimensional crisis the world is facing. In conclusion, Zimbabwe reaffirms its solidarity with the Government of Cuba and the Cuban people and joins the international community in calling for the end to the embargo. We appeal to the international community to step up efforts in support of the lifting of the embargo and to strengthen international cooperation for the well-being and prosperity of all countries. For those reasons, Zimbabwe will vote in favour of draft resolution A/78/L.5, hoping that this time around we will see real progress on the matter.

I have the honour to address the Assembly on behalf of the Government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania in order to add their voice to this extremely important debate on agenda item 38, entitled “Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba”. Tanzania aligns itself with the statements delivered on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, the Group of African States and the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, and I would like to add a few remarks in my national capacity. The embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba not only negatively impacts the economy of Cuba, but also violates its people’s full enjoyment of human rights. It has limited the acquisition of important items needed by the Cuban people for their survival, such as medicine, medical equipment and other necessities and has totally destabilized Cuba’s social and economic activities. Furthermore, the application of such measures against Cuba violates international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations and undermines the principles of humanitarianism. Tanzania is a country that advocates the peaceful coexistence of nations, respects the sovereign equality of States and believes in fair and open trade among nations. We continue to disagree with injustice, wherever it is committed, by whomsoever. We denounce the imposition of those unjust economic sanctions and other unilateral coercive measures that undermine sovereignty and prosperity for all. It is discouraging that our Heads of State and Government meet here and agree on things that are crucial for our prosperity, but some Member States still hesitate to implement them. For instance, in September 2015, in this same venue, our Heads of State and Government adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Among other things, the Declaration strongly urges States: “to refrain from promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that impede the full achievement of economic and social development.” (resolution 70/1, para. 30) It is therefore about time that we walk our talk and ensure that the Cuban people enjoy their right to live to the maximum. In conclusion, Tanzania reiterates its position to support draft resolution A/78/L.5 and calls for the unconditional lifting of this embargo so as to allow Cuba to enjoy the full potential of its economy.

We have heard the last speaker in the debate on this item for this meeting. We shall hear the remaining speakers tomorrow, 2 November, at 10 a.m. in this Hall. The General Assembly has thus concluded this stage of its consideration of agenda item 38.