Speaking on behalf of the global South, he called for reform of international financial systems and increased support for sustainable development and climate action.

Last week, Cuba hosted the summit of the Group of 77 (G77) and China, the largest organization of developing countries in the UN, which includes more than 130 countries.

Before the renewed “dominance”

Mr. Diaz-Canel recalled that the bloc was founded 60 years ago “to redress centuries of injustice and neglect” and represents about 80 percent of the world’s population.

The G77 countries “do not only have a development challenge; they are also responsible for modifying those structures that hold us back from social progress and turn many nations of the South into laboratories for renewed forms of domination,” he said, adding that “a new and fairer global contract is necessary.”

SDV is in danger

The Cuban leader drew attention to stalled progress towards the 17th Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), a special focus this year at the UN General Assembly’s high-level week.

Eight years ago, world leaders endorsed the Sustainable Development Goals as a blueprint for a better world and pledged to end poverty and hunger, ensure that all children have access to quality education, and by 2030 to protect the natural environment.

“The outlook is bleak” as the deadline approaches, he said, noting that 800 million people are still hungry and 760 million, two-thirds of whom are women, cannot read or write.

Reform global finance

Ms. Diaz-Canel emphasized that the efforts of developing countries are not enough to make the goals a reality and must be supported by concrete actions to ensure access to markets, fairer financing conditions, technology transfer and North-South cooperation.

“The G77 demands the rights and will continue to demand a fundamental overhaul of the current international financial architecture, as it is deeply unjust, anachronistic and dysfunctional, as it was created to profit from the reserves of the South, to perpetuate a system of domination that increases the underdeveloped and replicates the model of modern colonialism.” he said.

Climate Summit

On the climate crisis, he criticized developed countries for failing to meet their global commitments, including $100 billion annually.

He said the G77 will hold a summit of South leaders at COP28, the UN climate conference in Dubai this year.

“COP28 will show whether developed countries have the real political will to reach the necessary agreements in this area, which cannot be delayed any longer,” he said.

The president also spoke out against “unilateral coercive measures, euphemistically known as sanctions,” against Cuba and other nations such as Venezuela, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe, Syria, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and Iran.

He condemned the 60-year-old “suffocating economic blockade” imposed on his country by the United States, calling it “absolutely unilateral and unjustified.”