PRESS RELEASE – CUBA was officially admitted as a new member state of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), within the framework of the 108th Council of the Organization, which is being held in Geneva, from November 28 to December 1.
In his acceptance speech, Ambassador Pedro L. Pedroso, the Permanent Representative of Cuba in Geneva, confirmed Cuba’s willingness to continue building a close relationship with the IOM, as well as the readiness to contribute to the achievement of the Organization’s purposes. He also reiterated the importance of dialogue and international cooperation to confront the challenges posed by migration, called for the promotion of a better understanding of migration issues and for promoting respect for human dignity and the well-being of migrants.
In his speech, the Ambassador of Cuba said that joining IOM will offer the opportunity to interact with other member States, “in order to foster and contribute to an open and balanced debate on migration and its underlying causes, particularly when these are the result of the different levels of development among countries, poverty, lack of opportunities, the severe impacts of climate change or armed conflicts, among other causes”.
The Cuban Ambassador reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to safe, orderly and regular migration, and rejected the restrictive and xenophobic measures, while advocating a world without physical and discriminatory barriers. The diplomat called for working together to achieve a world in which the countries with greater development honor their commitments and fulfill the moral duty to help the development of others who need it.
Cuba’s entry into the International Organization for Migration constitutes a new reaffirmation of its commitment to multilateralism.
This intergovernmental organization founded on December 5, 1951 is based in Geneva and has local offices in more than 100 countries. With the entry of Cuba and the Cook Islands, the IOM now has 168 member States.
In September 2016, the IOM joined the United Nations family.
(Cubaminrex-Permanent Mission of Cuba in Geneva)