Cuba will be the site of the 37th period of sessions of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (Cepal), hosting the regional organization’s most important biennial meeting, May 7-11 in Havana.
The designation of Cuba as the host was agreed upon by member countries at the conclusion of the last period of sessions, held in May of 2016, in Mexico City.
These inter-governmental meetings are key to orienting the United Nations commission’s work, and offer a forum for discussion of major issues related to economic and social development in countries of the region.
Cepal will present a report on its activities to the 46 member nations, and invite reflection on progress made in implementing strategies related to the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals.
“It is very important for our country to host the Cepal period of sessions, as a great opportunity to advance analysis of the big issues related to the region’s development in this collective forum,” said Cuban Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment Rodrigo Malmierca, after signing the agreement confirming Cuba’s commitment to host the event.
Alicia Bárcena, Cepal executive secretary, explained that discussion and planning will focus on the importance of equality in the region, which remains the world’s most unequal, and will continue work on the course outlined in previous sessions held in Brasilia in 2010; San Salvador in 2012; Lima in 2014; and Mexico City in 2016.
“We maintain equality at the center of our proposals and emphasize the importance of ending the culture of privilege as the central prerequisite to advancing toward sustainable development,” Bárcena insisted.
(Granma)