Activities of Secretary-General in Cuba, 7-8 May

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Havana, Cuba, from New York on Monday afternoon, 7 May.  He briefly addressed the local media upon his arrival at the airport.

At 3 p.m. he took a tour of Old Havana led by city historian Eusebio Leal.  He was accompanied by members of the United Nations country team, as well as the Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Bárcena.  He spoke to the press before returning to his hotel.

Later in the afternoon, the Secretary-General laid a wreath at the José Martí memorial.  After that he walked to the National Palace (next to the memorial) and he met for one hour with Cuba President Miguel Díaz-Canel.  After the meeting, the two officials continued their conversation at an official dinner hosted by the Government of Cuba.

On Tuesday, 8 May, the Secretary-General had a group photo with the United Nations country team at his hotel.  This was followed by his speech at the inaugural session of the thirty‑seventh session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.  He praised ECLAC for consistently and courageously putting forward a development vision with equality as a driver of growth, and for focusing on equality that looks beyond income as a measure of well-being.  The Secretary-General also praised the region’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals, and encouraged them to “keep building, pushing and fighting for a fair globalization that leaves no one behind”.

Later that morning, the Secretary-General met with the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Raúl Castro.

The Secretary-General left for New York on Tuesday afternoon.