Trinidad and Tobago recognizes Cuba's role vis-à-vis the G77 Group and China
Speech by Amery Browne, Minister of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs of Trinidad and Tobago, at the G77 and China Summit in Havana, Cuba. teleSUR
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00:00 We go live to the summit of the Group 77 on China, Helena Havana.
00:09 Let's listen to the statement of Amiri Brown, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Caricam Affairs
00:13 of the Republic of Tunisia and Tobago.
00:16 Vice President, my friend, Minister Bruno, your excellencies, heads of state and government,
00:25 fellow ministers, ladies and gentlemen.
00:28 On behalf of Prime Minister Keith Rowley, I bring a warm Trinidad and Tobago greeting
00:35 to the entire G77 family.
00:39 Trinidad and Tobago joins the international community in extending condolences to the
00:45 people of Libya and Morocco following the devastating recent natural disasters.
00:53 I must express my heartfelt appreciation to the government and people of the Republic
00:58 of Cuba for the arrangements put in place and for the generous hospitality and criticies
01:05 extended to me and my delegation in this beautiful and resilient nation.
01:12 The government of Trinidad and Tobago recognizes Cuba's astute leadership of the G77 and China.
01:20 You have performed exceptionally in maintaining the group's strength and solidarity as we
01:26 navigate the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic recovery, climate crisis, shortages
01:34 in food and medical supplies, and the war in Europe which began with the invasion of
01:39 Ukraine and which places us closer to the prospect of nuclear weapons being used than
01:46 ever before in my lifetime.
01:49 While we continue to confront these challenges, we retain the hope that science, technology,
01:56 and innovation will contribute comprehensive solutions as our nations work together for
02:02 a sustainable future.
02:05 We applaud the tireless efforts of those pursuing scientific endeavors and are cognizant of
02:11 the immense quantum of resources necessary to transform one stroke of genius into an
02:18 application of ubiquitous use which benefits the whole of society.
02:24 Through science, technology, and innovation, the good of one individual can redound exponentially
02:31 to the benefit of all.
02:33 It is incumbent upon us, therefore, to ensure that the positive developments of science
02:39 and technology are enjoyed equitably by every individual on the face of the planet.
02:47 Mr. Chairman, the right to access science and its benefits was articulated in the 1948
02:55 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
02:58 But many in the scientific community have the view that existing restrictions on the
03:03 availability of scientific knowledge is retarding scientific progress.
03:09 And now there's a growing support for the idea of a global transition to open science.
03:16 In this vein, I refer to the UNESCO recommendation defining the norms, values, principles, and
03:23 actions for achieving open science.
03:28 But within the global financial architecture as it currently stands, it comes as no surprise
03:34 that access to technology has not been fully democratized across the globe.
03:42 Science and innovation has the capacity to end world hunger and to solve many of the
03:47 longstanding challenges.
03:49 But at the end of the day, we have to decide if we will prioritize investments in sustaining
03:54 life or in fueling death, to focus on our reality or on someone else's fantasy.
04:03 In today's world, it costs far less to land on the moon than it costs to make a feature
04:10 film about landing on the moon.
04:13 With all our resources, including our human resources, it is not just about what you have,
04:20 but how you use it.
04:21 Mr. Chairman, as we rapidly approach the advent of the 78th session of the United Nations
04:27 General Assembly, I believe it is important in considering the absolute necessity for
04:34 openness in science to address the issue of the continued unjustified imposition of an
04:41 economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba, which the UNGA has repeatedly
04:48 condemned as contrary to the UN Charter and international law.
04:54 Trinidad and Tobago consistently rejects the imposition of these unilateral, coercive
05:01 measures against Cuba and against Venezuela, and we again call for their immediate end.
05:09 Mr. Chairman, small island developing states are required to adopt a more strategic approach
05:16 in allocating funding to science, technology, and innovation.
05:21 We in Trinidad and Tobago have invested significantly into building our human capital to the extent
05:29 that we have been able to raise the percentage of our workforce with tertiary qualifications
05:35 to nearly 20 percent.
05:38 Our private sector also serves an important role in increasing research and innovation,
05:44 and our government has invested heavily in supporting private sector research by offering
05:50 tax incentives for investments in research and development.
05:55 These strategies escalate our commitment to science, technology, and innovation as are
06:01 embedded in national policy as Trinidad and Tobago's National Development Strategy Vision
06:08 2030.
06:11 We advocate for the continued global recognition of SIDS as a special case for sustainable
06:17 development, and we reinforce the importance of this group's solidarity for supporting
06:24 tailored measures and solutions to address their unique challenges.
06:29 The government of Trinidad and Tobago continues to fully support the G77 and China.
06:36 And finally, science, technology, and innovation.
06:41 Nuclear science helped us to split the atom.
06:45 That is the past.
06:46 The new challenge is for us to split the resources, to develop a reformed global financial system
06:54 because the current architecture was not designed by us, and it certainly was not designed for
07:01 us.
07:02 Muchísimas gracias Cuba, for Reunir a la familia.
07:09 Salud.
07:11 We were listening to the same as Anne-Marie Brown, the Minister of Foreign and Carinagin
07:19 Affairs of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, at the summit of Group 77 held in Havana.
07:25 He highlighted that through science, innovation, and technology, individuals have their own
07:29 development and thank Cuba for the invitation.
07:33 More breaking news coming up, stay with us.
07:34 [MUSIC PLAYING]