New York, 14 June 2021.“The current scenario caused by the COVID-19 pandemic requires us to take urgent actions to face the major challenge of sustainable and resilient recovery of our economies, and especially of the production system and the fight against poverty and inequality”, stated today Elba Rosa Pérez Montoya, Minister of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba, at the high-level dialogue on desertification, land degradation and drought, which was held in a virtual format at the United Nations.
Pérez Montoya highlighted Cuba´s achievements in this field, and mentioned the State Plan to combat climate change, known as Tarea Vida (Task Life), which includes actions to mitigate its impacts on soil. In addition, she referred to the National Plan for Food Security and Nutrition Education, the implementation of a National Plan to Combat Drought and the recently approved National Program for the Advancement of Women (PAM, by its Spanish initials) which has favored an increase in the participation of women involved in agricultural activities, governance and sustainable land use.
The Cuban Minister pointed out that all of the above has been achieved despite the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States for over 60 years, which is the main obstacle to accessing technologies and laboratory reagents for soil analysis and characterization and the strengthening of national and institutional capacities. Still, she added, Cuba ratifies its political will to meet the targets of the 2030 Agenda.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations
