Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez carried out an extensive program in New York while leading the Cuban delegation to the High-Level Segment of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
According to a summary sent to Prensa Latina, Rodríguez pursued an agenda that included 11 interventions at multilateral meetings, as well as over 30 bilateral meetings with senior United Nations officials and dignitaries from countries in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.
Notable among these were meetings with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman, as well as with the heads of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Committee of the Red Cross; he briefed them on the humanitarian situation in Cuba caused by the energy blockade imposed by the United States government.
He delivered speeches at the meeting of CELAC Foreign Ministers; the High-Level meeting commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development; the High-Level Plenary addressing the existential threats posed by rising sea levels; the meeting of the Hague Group for the Defense of International Law; and the annual meeting of the G77 and China.
He also spoke at the High-Level meeting on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response; the High-Level Dialogue on the fifth anniversary of the Global Development Initiative; and during the General Debate of the 81st session. …at the high-level meeting commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and at the session dedicated to promoting the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
“In every forum, the foreign minister upheld Cuba’s principled positions, respect for multilateralism and the organization’s purposes and principles, and denounced the unprecedented escalation of the United States’ hostile policy toward Cuba,” the summary highlighted.
During his remarks at the General Debate last Saturday, the island’s top diplomat outlined Cuba’s key foreign policy stances with a view to the 81st session, the text added.
On the sidelines of the UN gathering — held from September 21 to 29 — Bruno Rodríguez held meetings with senior figures from the Catholic and Greek Orthodox churches and the African American community; he also participated in solidarity events and gatherings with Cubans residing in the United States.
At the solidarity event “Voices for Peace: Cuba Is Not a Threat,” he expressed gratitude for the unwavering support shown to the Cuban people amidst the hardships imposed by the tightened U.S. blockade, the energy embargo, and secondary sanctions.
He also acknowledged the steadfast stance taken in support of Cuba, despite the persecution and pressure faced by many who stand in solidarity with the Caribbean nation.
Prior to the start of the High-Level Segment, the island’s delegation attended a gathering of Cubans residing in the United States. There, the Foreign Minister highlighted the significant efforts made to foster greater engagement and integration into national life for those living or spending extended periods abroad, as well as for their descendants.
During the exchange, he emphasized the intensified U.S. aggression against Cuba, the collective punishment inflicted upon the Cuban people, and the ruthless impact this is having on families and the general population. Accompanying the Foreign Minister as members of the delegation were Deputy Foreign Ministers Anayansi Rodríguez and Carlos Fernández de Cossío, as well as Ileana Núñez, Director General of Multilateral Affairs and International Law at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Deputy Foreign Minister Anayansi Rodríguez participated in seven other multilateral meetings, helping to boost Cuba’s high-level presence during the High-Level Segment. While in New York, the head of Cuban diplomacy also gave interviews to U.S. media outlets NBC News and AP.
[ SOURCE: PRENSA LATINA ]
