New York, May 25 (RHC)-- Cuba has recognized the "Merida Convention" as the only binding instrument of universal scope to analyze issues related to the prevention and fight against global corruption.

Yillianne Sánchez Rodríguez, diplomatic attaché of the country's permanent mission at the UN, participated Thursday in a high-level debate convened by the president of the UN General Assembly, on occasion of the 15th anniversary of the adoption of the UN Convention against Corruption. 

The Cuban diplomat issued a call on UN members to preserve and defend the fundamental principles of the Convention and its review mechanism, particularly its intergovernmental, non-punitive nature based on cooperation and exchange of experiences and good practices.
The Cuban diplomat further explained that in 2013 Cuba successfully completed the first cycle to review the implementation of the Convention, which signaled the strong commitment of the Cuban state and people to fighting corruption.

She added that the country is currently in the preparatory stage for the second review cycle, scheduled for the second half of 2018, when the commitment to the objectives and purposes of the Convention and its Review Mechanism will be reaffirmed.