New York, 19 March 2021.”In order to meet the objectives set at the historic Durban World Conference, held 20 years ago, it is essential to have greater political will and strengthen international cooperation in the face of the alarming spate of racism, racial discrimination and xenophobia, and hate speech against migrants and Afro-descendants,” said Ambassador and Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ana Silvia RodrÃguez Abascal, in her statement during the commemorative plenary meeting of the General Assembly to mark the International Day of the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
When referring to Cuba, Rodriguez Abascal stressed that since the triumph of the Revolution, a process of radical transformations has taken place to eliminate the underpinnings of racism and institutionalized racial discrimination. She stated that the set of measures adopted in the legal, economic, educational, cultural and social fields, during six decades of the Revolution, have allowed important results in the struggle against racism and discrimination.
The Cuban diplomat explained that despite what has been achieved, the country has a new comprehensive tool: the National Program against racism and racial discrimination, coordinated by a Government Commission led by the President of the Republic, to continue working on racial prejudices that still persist in the behavior and expressions of some people.
She also pointed out how these efforts are in line with our obligations as a State party to the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the commitments made in the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action, and the shared purpose of the International Decade for People of African Descent.
Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations
