Raul Castro (R) raises the hand of Miguel Diaz-Canel during a session of the National Assembly of People's Power in Havana, capital of Cuba, April 19, 2018. (Xinhua/Irene Perez/CUBADEBATE)
Cuba will host the 37th session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) between May 7 and 11 and assume the presidency of the regional United Nations organization for two years, a senior Cuban official said Thursday.
At a press conference, William Diaz, director of international economic cooperation at the island's Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment (MINCEX), said the resolution to host this important meeting was a unanimous choice by Latin America and Caribbean countries.
"This decision is to recognize the active role within the framework of ECLAC that Cuba has had for many years," he said.
The event will bring together representatives of the 46 member countries and 13 associate members of ECLAC and coincide with the commemoration of the organization's 70th anniversary.
The opening will take place on May 8 and be headed by Alicia Barcena, executive secretary of ECLAC, and Luis Videgaray, minister of foreign affairs from Mexico, which currently holds the ECLAC presidency.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel is expected to attend while UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has yet to confirm his presence.
According to the agenda, the delegations will discuss issues of common interest in the region as well as analyze the efforts of ECLAC's working groups.
In addition, ECLAC will seek to urgently address growing inequality in the region and how this could affect the fulfillment of the UN's 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Alongside its leadership of ECLAC, Diaz said Cuba will also assume the presidency of the forum of Latin American and Caribbean countries on sustainable development and the South-South cooperation committee.
Ahead of the event, Cuba will organize panels dedicated to its own economic progress, social priorities and international cooperation.
