The general commitment is to work collectively, without hegemonies or pressure mechanisms. The strength of 134 States, which represent two thirds of the United Nations membership, is not only not negligible, but is decisive and could be profoundly transforming.
The Cuban capital is today, and until tomorrow, the epicenter of multilateral dialogue and the demand for equal access to development, with the celebration of the G77 and China Summit, a defining event for the future of the peoples of the South.
Building a fairer relationship and a truly democratic and inclusive order that privileges international solidarity is a common purpose of developing countries.
That is why the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, in his capacity as president pro tempore of the G77 and China, emphasized, in calling the Summit in Havana of that intergovernmental mechanism that groups 80% of the world population, that it was encouraged by the “spirit of urgency in pursuit of cooperation”.
Now, when the Summit is already a reality, with a large presence of heads of state and government, heads of organizations and other representatives, the Cuban leader’s warning that “every minute counts in the search for solutions to the pressing problems of our peoples” is still equally valid.
This could be called the Summit of survival, because the destinies not only of the countries of the South, but of the entire humanity depend on the equitable and ethical use made of science, technology and innovation -the current challenges of development are the theme of the meeting-, as the recent pandemic of COVID-19 demonstrated with cruel force.
“The diagnoses seem increasingly clearer, scientific-technical progress, which is key to achieving sustainable development, is, however, inaccessible to most of humanity,” said Díaz-Canel in his message to the Member States.
And he added: “The causes lie in the unjust international economic order that has exacerbated the socioeconomic and scientific-technical marginalization of many countries, and within them, with serious consequences for the nations of the South”.
For this reason, the Summit does not intend to remain in diplomatic protocol, but to pave the way for practical action, seeking “to find and design together possible solutions to the most serious problems facing our world”.
The joint reflection, much of which will be embodied in the final Declaration, will serve to strengthen the broadest and most diverse group of multilateral consultation for the forthcoming international negotiation processes, such as the Summit of the Future.
The Cuban President summed it up as follows: “The occasion should serve to reinforce our unity and decide on collective and practical actions to effectively face contemporary challenges”.
Precisely, strengthening the cohesion of the Group as the main space for negotiation and coordination among developing countries is a primary objective of the Island’s Presidency at the head of the bloc.
The general commitment is to work collectively, without hegemonies or pressure mechanisms. The strength of 134 States, which represent two thirds of the United Nations membership, is not only not negligible, but is decisive and could be profoundly transforming. That force is in Cuba today.
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