Cuban Ambassador to Italy, Mirta Granda, assumes today the temporary presidency of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries. Photo: Prensa Latina

Rome, July 9 (RHC)-- Cuban Ambassador to Italy, Mirta Granda, assumes this Saturday the temporary presidency of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean Countries to the United Nations in Rome (GRULAC), following her recent election at a plenary meeting.

The permanent representative to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), reaffirmed her country's commitment to regional unity and integration.

The diplomat, who will share the task of leading GRULAC in the second half of 2022 with the representatives of Nicaragua and Panama as vice presidents, also emphasized her government's will to "defend and advance in common interests and positions".

During the event in which Granda was elected, the members of this group recognized the excellent work of the Panamanian representative to FAO, Tomas Duncan, as outgoing president of GRULAC, during the first half of this year.

In his remarks, Duncan said that during his tenure he faced the challenge of finding a common regional definition to take to the various negotiating committees of FAO, WFP and IFAD.

The new president "must continue to strengthen this regional union in order to arrive at these forums with clear positions," he said, adding that "I am sure that Cuba will consolidate this line, because a common position, as a region, strengthens us.

For his part, the Brazilian representative, Fernando Marroni, said that in the GRULAC at the United Nations in Rome "we have many interests in common, as well as a great capacity for coordination and joint action that magnifies our potential for negotiation with other regions".

Marroni expressed his confidence that the new GRULAC board of directors, headed by the Cuban ambassador, will do a very good job in favor of the unity of that group.

"This is particularly important in FAO, WFP and IFAD, where the issues of nutrition, food security and the negotiation of norms and principles that will guide food production and trade in the future are dealt with," he stressed.