00:02We're going back live to the U.S. General Assembly as the debate continues on the U.S.
00:07blockade against Cuba.
00:08Let's listen.
00:09That's 125 grams per person.
00:12We understand that the Cuban ration basket includes more than just bread.
00:17Nevertheless, the figures all do speak for themselves.
00:21The dramatic developments surrounding the island of freedom require a clear and appropriate
00:28response from the global community.
00:30Cuba must be guaranteed the opportunity to receive the assistance it needs, including
00:35humanitarian assistance, without any political conditions attached.
00:40We hope that, ultimately, the United States will adopt a humane approach to resolving the
00:47current situation.
00:48At the same time, it is noteworthy that the Cuban economy is showing remarkable resilience
00:55in the face of unprecedented pressure from the United States.
00:59In June, the Government of Cuba announced the most extensive package of economic liberalization
01:05reforms undertaken on the island in the past 15 years.
01:08That package includes 176 measures.
01:13The authorities carefully took into account expert proposals and public opinion regarding
01:20the transformation of the country's economic and social model.
01:26The inhumane restrictions imposed from outside on the economic stability and social well-being
01:32of a sovereign country are unacceptable in today's world.
01:38Unilateral coercive measures that run counter to the UN Charter not only restrict the Cuban people's
01:43right to determine freely and independently their own political, economic, and social systems.
01:51They also undermine collective efforts by the international community to address global challenges,
01:57including ensuring food and energy security and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
02:06problems in relations between states can and should be resolved through negotiations based on mutual respect.
02:15Washington justifies maintaining and tightening its sanctions by claiming that Cuba allegedly poses
02:20a threat.
02:21But if fuel is intended to keep power plants, hospitals, and water supply systems operating, then
02:29who exactly are they threatening?
02:31The undisguised desire of the United States to sink the island goes beyond the bounds of generally
02:38accepted norms of civilized conduct, civilized engagement.
02:43We call upon Washington to immediately lift all illegal unilateral restrictive measures, to remove
02:49Cuba from the arbitrary U.S. list of alleged state sponsors of terrorism, and also for all states
02:58to strictly comply with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations in their
03:03entirety and interrelationship.
03:05The island of freedom deserves nothing but respect for its sovereignty and for the right of its people
03:12to determine their own future.
03:16The response that the international community gives today will determine whether the actions of the United States
03:22against Cuba remain a dangerous exception or whether they become a new norm in international relations
03:28and will be applied to other countries.
03:31Russia does not limit itself to political support alone.
03:35It consistently provides practical humanitarian assistance to the Cuban people.
03:41Cuba has traditionally been among the priority recipients of Russian humanitarian assistance, including through international organizations.
03:51the principal multilateral channel for providing food assistance to those in need in the country is the United Nations World
03:59Food Programme.
04:00Between 2018 and 2025, the Russian Federation contributed to the WFP fund for the implementation of humanitarian projects in Cuba
04:12to the amount of 18 million U.S. dollars,
04:14and in 2026, 2 million U.S. dollars is allocated.
04:19In addition to providing direct food assistance, Russia finances long-term projects aimed at strengthening the country's food,
04:28the country's resilience.
04:30From 2021 to 2025, a World Food Programme project was financed to develop a sustainable school feeding system in Cuba
04:40with a total budget of 5 million U.S. dollars.
04:44Despite the obstacles being created from outside, this assistance work continues.
04:50According to the Russian Ministry for Emergency Situations, a shipment of humanitarian cargo consisting of 211 tons of sunflower oil
05:01fortified with vitamins A and D intended for delivery to the port of Santiago de Cuba has been temporarily delayed
05:08in Venezuela.
05:09Nevertheless, it does remain part of the ongoing program of support for the Cuban population.
05:14We reaffirm our solidarity with the people and government of Brotherly Cuba, with whom we will continue to strengthen close
05:21bonds of friendship, mutual support, assistance, and comprehensive cooperation.
05:26Everyone knows that attempts to bring the Cuban people to their knees have always been doomed to failure.
05:33Thank you for your attention.
05:38I thank the Minister of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation.
05:44I now give the floor to the Distinguished Representative of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
06:01Mr. President, I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on Agenda Item
06:0838 entitled Necessity of Ending the Economic, Commercial, and Financial Embargo.
06:13Imposed by the United States of America against Cuba.
06:16We thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this timely and important debate.
06:21The Group regrets that the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba for more than
06:30six decades remain in full application and continues to be in force.
06:34We regret the measures undertaken recently and during the current year aimed at reinforcing the embargo on Cuba, which represents
06:42the main obstacle to the process of achieving normalized relations between the two countries.
06:48The direct and indirect damage is enormous.
06:51It affects all the critical sectors of the Cuban economy, including public health, nutrition, and the agriculture, as well as
06:58trade, investment, tourism, and banking.
07:01We are deeply concerned about the widening of the extraterritorial nature of the embargo on Cuba, notably through the full
07:09implementation of Title III of the Helms-Barton Act.
07:13The application of this law is a clear transgression to the freedom of commerce among nations because of its intimidating
07:20purpose by punishing any trade or investment transactions between any given country and Cuba.
07:29Regarding the announcement by the government of the United States of new measures further tightening the economic, commercial, and financial
07:35embargo imposed against the Republic of Cuba, including actions aimed at obstructing the supply of oil to the country and
07:44the imposition of sanctions on third states that engage in legitimate commercial relations with Cuba, which have clear extraterritorial effects,
07:54the Group stresses that these measures are contrary to the purposes of the
07:58and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law, and undermine multilateralism, international economic cooperation, and the
08:07rules-based, non-discriminatory, open, fair, and equitable multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core.
08:16At the same time, they aggravate Cuba's difficulties to carry out financial and commercial operations, threatening the livelihood and integrity
08:28of the Cuban population.
08:30The Group of 77 and China is deeply concerned about the severe humanitarian and development consequences that restrictions affecting access
08:38to energy supplies have on Cuba currently.
08:44Well, we're listening to some of the statements that are taking place here at this UN General Assembly debate on
08:49the NWK.
08:51We're listening to the representative of Russia and also our representative of speaking on behalf of the Group of 77
08:57and China, denouncing the extraterritorial nature of the U.S. blockade, and also calling for its end, as well as
09:03the immediate removal of Cuba from the arbitrary U.S. list of nations that allegedly sponsored terrorism.
09:09So that's what's happening at the UN General Assembly.
09:11We'll have more, so stay tuned with this soon.
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