Marrero emphasized the need to foster international cooperation

Havana, Sep 24 (RHC) On Friday, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero stressed the need to use science and innovation to face the challenges of the multidimensional global crisis the world is going through.

The Cuban head of government participated, virtually, in the Zhongguancun 2021 Forum, with the theme 'Intelligence, Health and Carbon Neutrality', held in Beijing, China.

Marrero affirmed that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed the deep inequities derived from the prevailing unjust international order.

"Covid-19 has put to the test the capacity of the scientific community all over the world, in that sense the advances obtained are undeniable, among which vaccines are the most promising results," he said.

He pointed out that, unfortunately, access to them is a chimera for millions of people around the world.

"By August 2021 more than five billion doses had been administered globally, yet more than 80 percent were administered in middle- or high-income countries, which represent far less than half of the world's population," he stressed.

He stressed that despite the enormous obstacles faced by Cuba, first of all because of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States, its scientific community managed to develop three vaccines and two candidates are in the clinical development phase.

Marrero recalled that our country has also sent 57 medical brigades to 40 nations and territories affected by Covid-19, in addition to the more than 28,000 health collaborators who were already working before the beginning of the pandemic.

Likewise, he highlighted Cuba's efforts to comply with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, through the National Economic and Social Development Plan for that date, among other initiatives aimed at addressing climate change, such as the Tarea Vida, approved in 2017.

At the meeting, the Cuban prime minister emphasized the need to foster international cooperation and solidarity to fight the great challenges facing the orb.

"Scientific and technological advances must be the heritage of humanity if we want to achieve a better world that is truly just," he emphasized. (Source: PL)