Dubai, December 2 (RHC)-- Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel opened Saturday the Summit of the Group of 77 and China within the United Nations Conference on Climate Change -COP28-, with a call to close gaps.
At the meeting, the president pointed out that the distance separating the irrationally opulent North and the increasingly impoverished South is widening with high human costs, while the resources that nature makes available to us are being squandered.
"The South cannot be forced to choose between development and climate action. The two are inextricably linked.
It is our responsibility to assert the voice of our peoples and defend their legitimate interests and aspirations," Díaz-Canel stressed.
He said that at a time when there is talk of a just transition, developing nations cannot allow the concept to progress alone, without taking into account the factors that guarantee its achievement, taking into account common but differentiated responsibilities.
He called for reflection, unity and action by the countries of the South to contribute to the search for solutions to a global problem that has a special impact on the members of the organization.
COP28 can still lead us to a realistic and applicable global balance, in correspondence with the different circumstances and national development goals, added the Cuban head of state, who considered that the summit will allow the Group to continue strengthening its voice and positions as a valid and serious interlocutor in multilateral forums.
"Reaching without delay a framework for the Global Objective on Adaptation that takes into account our needs and guarantees support and flexibility for developing countries is crucial at this conference," he emphasized.
At the opening of the meeting, COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber congratulated Cuba's work and assured that he would do everything possible to achieve the results that everyone wanted.
"I will give my all to ensure that we leave no stone unturned," he maintained, adding that to do so he needed everyone's help, to unite and work together to close all the gaps in pursuit of adaptation and mitigation, and work on all aspects, including finance. "I will work with all of you. I will work with the G77 to ensure that COP28 is a COP of action, a COP that will deliver results for the Global South," he said.
Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said he will continue to count on the G77 and China to continue to push for the changes the world needs.
Cuba, in its capacity as pro tempore president of the bloc, convened this first Summit of its top leaders as a space for reflection and coordination of positions among the countries of the South, in view of the climate negotiations.
The meeting constitutes a novel initiative within the COPs that will allow coordinating positions, agreeing on ideas and having concrete proposals to assert the aspirations and demands of the countries of the South related to these problems. (Source: Prensa Latina).
