Social Development Summit Follow- Up and the Millenium Summit´s Social Commitments

 

 

 

 

 

Statement by Ambassador Orlando Requeijo Gual, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, at the High-level Plenary meeting, under priority theme: Review of Further Implementation of World Summit for Social Development and the Outcome of the Twenty-fourth Special Session of the General Assembly. 43rd Session of the Commission for Social Development. New York, 11 February, 2004.

Mr. President,

Firstly, allow us to commend You and the rest of the General Committee members for the work carried out to make out of this session of the Commission a singular moment for the review of the international commitments embraced in 1995, which were reinforced with new initiatives 5 years later, despite the big obstacles faced along this process.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to convey our total support to the statement made by the distinguished delegation of Jamaica, in its capacity of President of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr. President,

Much has been said during these days about the current social situation in the world.

If 10 years after the World Summit on Social Development, 20% of the global population living in developed countries consumes 86% of everything that is produced and the other 80% faces increasing poverty and less opportunities; how is it possible that Third World countries are still demanded to cut down their expenses on healthcare, education, culture and social security? How is it possible that some developed countries stubbornly reject the fact that the situation of many developing nations is critical, thanks to the order they selfishly have imposed?

Those that do not fulfill their commitment of earmarking 0, 7% of their Gross National Incomes (GNI) to development assistance and obstruct the definite cancellation of the external debt on Third World countries; are also the same ones who applaud the neoliberal policies that the international financial institutions prescribe which have only ruined our economies and brought about greater abandonment and despair to our peoples.

Some of the so-called “development partners” who are not pleased with opulence at the cost of the Third World, embraced quickly the strange idea which during these days is being diffuse in this headquarters, referring to the fact that the poor, the sick and those starving constitute a threat to their peace and security.
Mr. President,

Since its beginnings, the Cuban Revolution has undertaken socio-economic transformations conceived in a strategy harmonizing economic growth and social development. During these years the Cuban Government never renounced to its steadfast principle of protecting all workers, guaranteeing the pensions of retired people or other assisted people or not leaving anybody on his/her own.

Cuba already reached the distinction of full-employment country according to concepts and indicators of international agencies, as it registered a 2.3 rate by the end of 2004 and 1.9% in January, 2005.

The State’s budget for 2005 will allow to move to superior levels our education, health-care system, social security and assistance, culture, sports and scientific and technical researches, being allocated the 68% of this budget to this aim.

This effort, where the 167 social programs being implemented have a key role, results in:

• 1 288 973 new jobs created in the last 9 years;
• Social Protection for 100% of the Cuban population;
• More participation, more economic independence and emancipation for Cuban women;
• More training and careers opportunities for our youth;
• Better assistance for the elderly and disable people;

Mr. President,

These social development steps forward are carried out in our country amidst a permanent US .Government’s belligerency, which has kept the absurd economic, commercial and financial blockade for 46 years now.

This US blockade policy was reinforced by the new measures announced by the United States on last 6 May, 2004 and implemented from 30 June, 2004.

Among Washington’s plans for Cuba’s re-colonization are the privatization of the basic social services, the elimination of the current Social Security and Assistance National System with universal coverage; and the dismantling of important economic branches. These are the same neoliberal recipes that launched and keep billions of human beings in many third world nations hopeless.

The obsolete US policy towards Cuba constitutes the main obstacle for the Cuban people to reach all its social development goals.

Mr. President,

The genuine international cooperation as regards social development should be adapted to the programs and priorities of the nations benefited and also to the local culture and traditions.

This is the approach adopted by our country; and rural populations from sister nations of Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean being taken cared of by Cuban health-care personnel may provide proofs of it; the scholarship program for third world youths; literacy and middle school education consultancy programs; consultancy for Hydraulic resources management and for low-cost-housing construction and other activities undertaken in countries with diverse development levels all over the globe. Nowadays, around 26 thousand Cuban collaborators carry out this important task without exerting any political pressure whatsoever or demanding any economic privileges.

Just with political will, cooperation may bring about tangle results: Cuba can assure that with an initial investment of 3 billion dollars and 700 millions in each of the following nine years; in a period of 12 years it is possible to teach 1.500 millions of illiterate and semi-illiterate people to read and write and guide them to sixth grade. A total expenditure less than 10 billion dollars which is less than 0.004 percent of a one-year Gross Domestic Product of the members of OECD.

The figure contrasts with the nearly 900 billion dollars spent in weapons each year, which only serves the purpose of escalating conflicts and creating more hopelessness in the world.

Mr. President,

Ten years after holding the Social Development Summit, we must reaffirm that the only way to achieve a just and equitable development for us all, is to change the current international order in which a few possess everything, while the great majority of the globe population everyday endures poverty, famine, sickness, illiteracy and social exclusion.

It is high time for making way to solidarity.

Thank you very much.

Statement by the Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations, Ambassador Orlando Requeijo: Presentation of the Sub-regional Network for the Follow-up to the Agreements of the Social Development Summit and the Social Commitments of the Millenium Summit. New York, 10 February, 2005.

Ms. María Castro, Planning Deputy Minister of Guatemala and Coordinator Pro Tempore of the Sub-Regional Network.

Distinguished participants to this event:

First of all, we would like to thank the presentation made by Ms. María Castro, as well as, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs for the initiative of summoning this meeting.

As explained already, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Cuba have come together in a mechanism called Sub-regional Network for the follow-up to the Agreements of Social Development and the Social Commitments of theMillennium Summit.

The objective of this Network is to contribute to the capacity strengthening of national, governmental, non-governmental actors, so that through their work governments and follow-up facilities of the World and Millennium Summits for Social Development receive feedback; contributing to the fulfillment of agreements reached at these summits, by means of information and experience exchange, training, outreach and cooperation.

The idea of making this Network emerged from the results of a workshop held at the end of 2000, and the mechanism was implemented in 2001, which functions from de moment the institutional framework in each Member State, the work on the focal points that take care of each programmatic areas, and the work of the pro tempore Secretariat are defined, being such responsibility temporarily assumed by Member States by a period of time of about one year.

The Ministry for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation (MINVEC) represents Cuba to the Network. Cuba has been elected as Secretariat Pro Tempore during 2002 and part of 2003; it administered the website since that date until the recent meeting held in Guatemala and it has also been a focal point of the programmatic areas of Cooperation and Social Information.

The Network’s united effort has had the permanent support of DESA which has financed annual meetings, an experience exchange program and the website, among other examples. The support of ECLAC has also been present in the field of social information as it financed a workshop and the advice of a consultant.

The Network has made steps forwards and shown work results, among them:

• To have a Working Manual.
• To set out a Plan of Action, recently updated for the work, focused on five main programmatic areas: Information, Website, Training and Outreach, Experience Exchange and Horizontal Cooperation.
• To design and set out the website.
• To move forward in the establishment of a system of indicators for the Sub-region allowing the follow-up to the commitments reached at the Social Development Summit and Millennium social indicators.
• To undertake an inter-program from successful given experiences with possibilities of being repeated.
• To maintain the support of DESA to this experience and to incorporate ECLAC/ Mexico and ILO’s Universitas Program.
• Cuba, in its position of Focal Point, with the support of ECLAC/Mexico, organized a “Workshop on Social Indicators and Statistics in countries from the Northern region of Latin America and the Caribbean”, with the objective of exchanging criteria on the current availability of capacities and future necessities in the field of social indicators and statistics. Subsequently, the advise of a consultant was possible to define the indicators to be used in the sub-region

• Cuba’s Ministry for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation agreed with ILO on the Cooperation Operative Plan. This program is developed within the framework of the Program for Human Development at Local Level (PHDL) and the anti- Poverty Programme Initiative (APPI), both fostered by UNDP.

• Wit the support of Universitas a workshop was undertaken within the framework of the Network entitled “Workshop on the decentralized cooperation and the innovation process and successful experience transfer within the social framework”.

• Four annual National Coordinators meetings have been held, the Network DAFO Matrix was established in the last meeting.

• A new project is currently elaborated for the institutional strengthening of the Network; we expect to count on the support of DESA and ECLAC/Mexico.

It is unquestionable that there is still much to do, and we are not yet totally satisfied with the outcomes. The work of the Network depends, to a great extent, on the institutional representation of its Member States and on the continued effort to support actions agreed upon in the Plan of Action.

Anyway, it is important to preserve what has been achieved: that a mechanism already articulated in itself continues to function, linking and integrating different actors of the sub-region in order to follow-up the commitments of the Social Development World and Millennium Summits, which counts on the advice and support of different United Nations institutions, allowing to achieve synergy in common actions to favor social development in the countries from the sub-region.

Cuba, in its position of focal point has undertaken steps to seek support. We have proposed to UNESCO Regional Office, in order to take care of Central America, to hold a Workshop on the fulfillment of the Millennium Goals related to Education for all, specifying on the sub-regional experience. Also, we have reiterated to ECLAC our interest in receiving support for the issue of the system for sub-regional indicators.

We trust that these and other steps that may be undertaken by Cuba or another country member of the Network contribute to the consolidation of this mechanism.

We reiterate our appreciation to DESA and support the initiative presented here, with the understanding that the technical cooperation project for the institutional strengthening in cooperation with DESA/ Mexico, will allow steps forwards in the work of the Network.

Thank you very much.

Statement by H.E. Ambassador Orlando Requeijo, Permanent Representative of Cuba to the United Nations. New York, 10 February, 2005.

Informal Consultation on the Report of the Millennium Project.

Mr. President,

Firstly, my delegation would like to join the statement made by the distinguished representation of Jamaica, on behalf of the G-77 and China. Likewise, we join the appreciation expressed to you for convening this informal consultation offering us, thereby, the opportunity to exchange on the different proposals contained in the Report submitted by the Millennium Project, a document which undoubtedly covers items of great importance for the group of developing countries.

We have before us a large document we are still reviewing. The opinions we will share here today have risen from the review of its content and from the valuable exchanges in which we have participated with those mainly responsible for the Millennium Project. Although many other things may be said about a text like this, we will focus on the main recommendations contained in the Report.

Firstly and in general terms, we shall express that although we understand the specific mandate entitled to the authors of the Report, it is important for my delegation to underline that development is a large-scope and complex process which cannot be limited to the eight Millennium Development Goals. The fulfillment of these goals shall be conceived only as a step towards the achievement of more ambitious objectives in all fields, some of which have been concretely reflected in the result of diverse UN conferences and summits. Thus, they likewise constitute unavoidable commitments of the international community and a substantial part of the North-South cooperation Agenda.

We have analyzed, from this perspective, the recommendations of this text which, though deserving special attention due to the importance of the issues they cover, only pursue partial responses within a limited spectrum of the problems our countries face.

From this train of thought, the proposal of adopting MDG-based poverty reduction strategies contained in the first three recommendations of the Report shall, thus, be understood within the broad context of national development strategies, which shall strictly respond to the necessities and priorities of each country. It is important to lay stress on this point referring to the fact that the right of each people to choose its own socio-economic development model cannot be undermined in any way.

On the other hand, we consider important that basic questions as those stated in the so-called “group of Quick Win actions” proposed in the context of Recommendation No.5, have finally deserved this acknowledgement.

Nevertheless, we are concerned about the lack of more concrete proposals on how to put into practice such actions. Its attainment undoubtedly requires a leading role of the State which has tried to be weakened too much throughout many years of dedication to indiscriminate privatization as a solution to development problems, as part of the imposition of the neoliberal model whose resounding failure is increasingly evident.

The list of elements identified here may include many other actions aimed at solving other many difficulties faced nowadays by poor countries, which in many cases lack a strong and well-structured public sector, as a result of the implementation of the aforementioned policies.

The support of regional nature initiatives, made reference to in Recommendation No. 6, is positive. As to national development strategies and their alignment to these kinds of initiatives, our previous considerations on the national ownership of such decisions are valid.

Recommendation No. 7 covers an item of prime importance for poor countries: Official Development Assistance. Throughout the years, our nations have observed, with concern and deep disappointment, the failure to comply with this ancient commitment by developed countries. Thus, it is imperative to demand its most immediate fulfillment without any kind of conditionalities. In this point, it is important to recall that ODA constitutes an essential source of resources for the financing of development priorities that are not only limited to the Millennium Development Goals.

Trade is another item particularly relevant for our countries and, in this sense, we are pleased to witness the emphasis made in the Report. However, Recommendation No. 8 seems to be quite limited in comparison with the analysis of trade issues contained in the Report. It neither seems to be an adequate reflection of the agreements achieved within the World Trade Organization. We would like to add that the debate on international trade shall not be restricted to the framework of WTO. It is indispensable to underline the main role of the United Nations in this regard, as a universal forum for the discussion of these issues.

We are also pleased that Recommendation No. 9 is in charge of the progress of science and its financing, one of the most critical areas for our countries’ development. Nevertheless, we shall emphasize on the importance of adequate scientific and technological transfer to developing countries, which shall be the main recipients of the advances resulting from research in these fields. Altogether, the urgent necessity of fostering the capacity of our peoples aimed at the development of our own scientific and technological potential should be mentioned.

Recommendation No. 10 comprises the role of United Nations agencies, funds and programmes in the field, to support the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. All in all, we favor this approach, but it is our concern that only this role is entrusted to the United Nations within this process. The most important intergovernmental spaces in the hands of this Organization to enhance progress of the international development agenda, such as ECOSOC and the General Assembly are not mentioned here. These bodies shall be strengthened in order to carry out the main role entitled to them in this regard.

Mr. President,

We have left for the end, our comment on Recommendation No. 4 as it is of great concern to our delegation. The identification of a list of countries who allegedly would be defined as MDG “fast-track” countries so that they get a rapid scale-up of ODA under the basis of controversial criteria on good governance and absorptive capacity is, for us, a distorting element of the principles of impartiality and non-selectivity which shall guide the granting of such assistance.

In any of the statements of the international commitments adopted in relation to ODA, there are elements linked to attaining conditionalities. This would just be unacceptable for the group of developing countries. It calls our attention that one of the criteria chosen to measure the so-called “good behavior” is that implemented by the most powerful Member State of this Organization, which at the same time accounts for the poorest record of Official Development Assistance.

Any attempt to legitimize donor countries’ interference in our national development policies shall be categorically rejected as their formulation constitutes an essential sovereignty act of our States.

In this regard, we shall not fail to insist on the importance of promoting important changes in the global order allowing the creation of an international enabling environment for the progress of our nations, free of sanctions and unilateral coercive measures and of all kinds of conditionalities that only attempt to load on the shoulders of our peoples the historical, moral, political and economic responsibility that rich countries have as to our development.

Thank you very much.