The issue will be particularly heard in the complaints of southern countries when more than 40 developing countries suffer from these restrictions, the Cuban representative replied to a question from Prensa Latina.
“We have seen that in many cases, these measures have not only been strengthened during the pandemic but there has also been an expansion in the type of measures and the countries affected by them,” he added.
In this context, the Group of 77 and China also support a resolution in one of the commissions to address the issue, as the Cuban ambassador also detailed in an exchange with the press at the organization’s headquarters in New York.
Coercive measures are receiving particular attention within the bloc that unites the Global South as they hamper efforts to achieve the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
The 2030 Agenda speaks of the need to eliminate them, especially those aimed at developing countries, as they represent an obstacle to achieving the goals, he recalled.
The upcoming G-77-China summit, to be held in Havana, will focus its debates on the role of science, technology, and innovation in development, one of member countries’ priorities alongside those of the United Nations on this path to sustainability.
“We are all aware that we are very far from the 2030 targets,” stressed Pedroso, recognizing the need for scientific support for the agenda proposed by the United Nations.
It’s about development policy and how best to prepare to fulfill commitments. He acknowledged that one of the main drivers that makes this possible is precisely the summit theme proposed by Cuba, the country that presides over the bloc.
“Without science, technology, and innovation, for example, we cannot simply move to a different energy paradigm to meet our commitments to combat climate change,” he added.
He stressed that science is crucial to countering a pandemic and making advances such as vaccines more accessible.
The three elements are essential to any effort in line with the vision of the G-77, China, and the United Nations itself.
However, the wide gap between developed and developing countries in terms of science, technology, and innovation is notable, he warned.
