CubaMinrex. Sitio del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de Cuba

UN Rapporteur: Cuba Protects its People's Right to Food

CUBA , November 7, 2007.- United Nations´ Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food Jean Ziegler said that while 854 million people go hungry in the world, Cuba protects its people's right to food, despite the severe impact of the US economic blockade on the island.

In a press conference held on Tuesday, Ziegler said he was satisfied with his visit to Cuba and expressed his gratefulness for having been able to meet a large working program on the island. He said he held interviews with local officials, farmers and women, and visited penitentiaries as well as four Cuban provinces, where he witnessed how food is guaranteed for the people.

Ziegler said that upon his return, he will submit a report to the UN General Assembly and to the Human Rights Council on his stay in Cuba from October 28 through November 6.

He recalled that Cuba faced severe difficulties in the food sector following the fall of the former Soviet Union and the Socialist Camp, plus prolonged adverse weather conditions. Despite the unfavorable situation, Cuba has already met the Millennium Development Goals and has signed four of six UN Human Rights conventions.

Ziegler said he did not see any undernourished person in Cuba , something that is commonplace in other countries like Guatemala , Brazil , Bolivia or Niger . He highlighted the government policy aimed at protecting most vulnerable people in the area of food.

The visit to Cuba by the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food expresses the will of the island to resume this kind of cooperation with world and non-discriminatory mechanisms of the UN in the field of human rights. (Cubaminrex- AIN )

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