When addressing the Board of Governors of this organization, Cuban diplomat Marlen Redondo said that although virtual forums have allowed for the continuity of work amid the Covid-19 pandemic, not all countries have equal access to platforms created to hold them.

Our country has serious difficulties in having access to the Cisco Webex platform, due to the US blockade and, therefore, its experts cannot participate in webminars, trainings and online conferences, she noted at a session to discuss IAEA 2022-2023 budget.

According to Redondo, the Cuban delegation informs about this situation every time it occurs, always providing specific details about the meetings and difficulties.

Cuban representatives at UNESCO and other UN agencies have denounced similar difficulties in recent years as a result of the economic, commercial and financial blockade implemented by the United States for over 60 years.

The Cuban diplomat insisted at IAEA Board of Governors on the need that all member States can equally participate in the virtual meetings, which have become a key international communication tool in times of pandemic.

In her speech, she acknowledged the realistic nature of the budget discussed for the 2022-2023 period, based on the economic effect of Covid-19. However, she called to consider it a precedent for this agency’s future work.

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