Geneva - Cuban Ambassador Pedro Luis Pedroso has reiterated before the Human Rights Council the island´s firm commitment to international solidarity.

“For Cuba, international solidarity is a right of peoples and persons and one of the requirements to achieve a democratic and equitable international order, in strict accordance with the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,”.

The Cuban diplomat made the statement during the presentation of a report on the July 2017 visit to Cuba by the independent expert on Human Rights and International Solidarity, Virginia Dandan.

Pedroso said that during her visit, the expert was able to confirm the priority granted by the State and Cuban civil society to the promotion of international solidarity, as well as to cooperation.

The expert´s report said the US blockade against Cuba is an injustice and stressed that despite its effects, the country has made important progress in the fulfilment of human rights.

The Cuban dip0lomat thanked Dandan for her recognizing Cuba for its role in international cooperation for decades.

The ambassador noted that Cuba´s international cooperation is based on the values ​​of solidarity and humanism intrinsic to the island´s society.

“That is the reason why 407 thousand Cuban health professionals have been present in 164 countries on all continents from 1963 until today. Currently more than 50 thousand health professionals providing their services in 65 nations,” he said.