Press release
UN GA President visited Cuba
Havana, 24 June 2016 – The President of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Mogens Lykketoft visited Havana, Cuba on 23 and 24 June 2016 on the invitation of the Cuban Government.
On Thursday, he participated in the signing of the bilateral ceasefire and laying down of arms agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia in Havana, Cuba.
The President also had bilateral meetings with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, H.E. Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz. In the meetings various topics, including the embargo on Cuba and the need for Cuba to have foreign investments was discussed.
Mr. Lykketoft also discussed the forthcoming High Level Meeting on Human Rights on 12 and 13 of July with the representative of the Cuban Government and stressed the need to keep the implementation of the SDGs on track.
Both Ministers complimented the President on his efforts regarding GA revitalization and the open and transparent process on selecting and appointing the next Secretary-General.
The President also had the opportunity to visit the Latin American School of Medicine and the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.
On Friday the President paid a Floral Tribute to José Martí, the national hero of the Republic of Cuba.
The President was accompanied by his wife Mette Holm and a number of staff from the Office of the President. The trip is paid by from the Trust Fund of the Office of the President apart from his wife’s travel which was paid from personal funds.
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Further information, Special Media Adviser Ulla Oestergaard, tel: + 1 646 3883080, email: Oestergaard@un.org.