28th Ibero-American Summit: one more step, from dreams to action

So much and well-deserved attention was paid to Cuba’s general elections, about to be carried out at the time, that the 28th Ibero-American Summit held in Santo Domingo, March 24-25, left some issues to highlight.

The truth is that besides being a step closer to the goal of solving common issues by an increasingly determined community, as well as more solid when it comes to dialogue and identities, this international event focused on subjects that had not been addressed so relevantly until now. 

That is the case of science and technology understood from the perspective of solidarity and inclusive cooperation. It is not coincidence that the Santo Domingo Statement includes the support of the Ibero-American community to the Cuban initiative to summoning a Summit headed by Heads of States and Government of the 134 member states of the G-77 plus China under the motto: “Current challenges of development: role of science, technology and innovation,” to be held in Havana, mid-September.

At this point of development achieved by humanity, science, technology and innovation are precisely an unavoidable element that transversely merge well into all life of the planet.

Based on that certainty, President Díaz-Canel shared with those present at the Summit his view on how much inequities, food insecurity and many other deficiencies could be reduced if the 2030 Agenda was also supported with capacity building and technology transfer.

Of course, the president did not forget to point out the need for concrete actions related to market access and also financing under fair and preferential conditions.

Dialogue, solidarity and cooperation were underlined mainstays in this Summit, from which an Ibero-American environmental charter emanated, another on digital principles and rights, the framework for designing a new financial architecture, as well as a path leading to inclusive and sustainable food security.

And this community of nations that is becoming more and more strengthened, guided precisely by that feeling of unity and justice, raised its voice loud and clear to reject the unilateral coercive measures that violate international law and the United Nations Charter "that hinder the capacity of States to address their development needs and priorities.”

And so is stated in the Final Statement, while a special communiqué issued by the Heads of State and Government of the Ibero-American countries also condemns the enforcement of the Helms-Burton Act, the tightening of the blockade and the financial persecution against Cuba.

In the Statement, a call on the US government to comply with the 30 resolutions of the UN General Assembly that call for an end to this policy was issued, while speaking out against the unjustified inclusion of Cuba on the unilateral list of countries sponsoring terrorism.

The Cuban president summarized the importance of the meeting when addressing the representatives of the 22 countries: “This Summit offers an opportunity to translate into concrete actions the aspiration of advancing towards a more just, supportive and sustainable region. The path to that noble purpose indisputably involves changing the current unfair, irrational and exclusive international order.”

Translated by Sergio A. Paneque Díaz / CubaSí Translation Staff