Cuba to host upcoming summit of G-77+China group, highlighting development challenges

Cuba’s President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, announced on Wednesday that Cuba will be the venue for the forthcoming Summit of Heads of State and Government of the G-77+China group.

The event will be held in Havana on September 15-16. The members of the G-77+China, which represent 80% of the world’s population, will participate in the summit.

President Díaz-Canel used Twitter to announce the theme of the summit: “Current Challenges of Development: Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation.”

The Group of 77+China, founded within the United Nations in 1964, is a coalition of 134 developing countries working together on diverse fields such as agriculture, food, industry, finance, and energy.

During the announcement, the Cuban leader emphasized that the benefits of scientific and technical progress, crucial for sustainable development, remain out of reach for a significant portion of the global population.

The root cause, he pointed out, lies in the unjust international economic order, which has deepened the socioeconomic and scientific-technological marginalization of many countries, with severe implications for nations of the Global South.

Díaz-Canel urged a change in this scenario, advocating for a more equitable global relationship and the creation of an inclusive, democratic order that prioritizes international solidarity and cooperation.

Earlier this year, Cuba played host to the meetings of the Ministers of Culture and Tourism of the G-77+China member countries and assumed the pro tempore presidency of the group in January 2023.