Ernesto Rodríguez Hernández, First Deputy Minister of Communications of the Republic of Cuba, recently addressed the 29th session of the United Nations Commission on Science and Technology for Development (CCTD) in Geneva, where he emphasized the need to safeguard the interests of developing countries in the evaluation of the progress of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS).
According to a statement from the Ministry of Communications (Mincom) on its Facebook page, the official expressed his gratitude for the Secretary-General’s report on the progress in implementing and monitoring the WSIS outcomes, and noted that structural asymmetries, technological gaps, and financial challenges persist, limiting the equitable development of the information society.
Rodríguez Hernández called for guaranteeing an inclusive consultation mechanism in the drafting of resolutions, so that the legitimate interests of Member States are reflected in the final texts.
She considered it essential to reaffirm the rejection of unilateral coercive measures contrary to International Law and the Charter of the United Nations, as they hinder equitable access to information and communication technologies and undermine international cooperation.
She reaffirmed the commitment to the WSIS vision of building a people-centered, inclusive, and development-oriented information society, as well as the principle of sovereign equality of States in digital governance.
She stressed the urgency of addressing the digital divide by strengthening national capacities and transferring technology on favorable terms to developing countries.
She underscored the need to increase and diversify sources of financing for the information society, with adequate, accessible, and sustainable resources, in line with the Seville Commitment adopted at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development.
Regarding the institutional framework, Cuba emphasized the importance of ensuring convergence between the implementation of the WSIS outcomes and the Digital Global Compact, avoiding duplication and promoting genuine synergies in forums such as the CCTD and the Internet Governance Forum.
Cuba reiterated its commitment to working responsibly to achieve a balanced and ambitious draft resolution that reflects the priorities of all countries in their efforts to achieve sustainable development in the digital age.
[ SOURCE: AGENCIA CUBANA DE NOTICIAS ]
