28 September 2021 | For: Institutional Communication Directorate
The Minister of Communications of Cuba, Mayra Arevich Marín participated, virtually, in the Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Cyberspace, within the framework of the 2021 World Internet Conference, which takes place from 26 to September 28, in Wuzhen, Zhejiang Province, People's Republic of China. In her speech, the Minister of Communications of Cuba highlighted: “Advances in the digital sphere can support and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda and contribute to the creation of a more just, inclusive and peaceful world. However, the improper use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can also threaten privacy, affect the security of countries and increase the existing digital divide ”. "The use of these technologies must be consistent with the objectives of maintaining international peace and security and to promote an open, secure, stable, accessible and peaceful ICT environment and not to perpetrate terrorist acts and other criminal or criminal actions" added Minister Mayra Arevich. The head of Cuban Communications, in her speech emphasized that digital technologies such as Big Data and Artificial Intelligence are applied to accelerate development in the health sector, transportation, agriculture and the environment. Its beneficial use favors human well-being, while its malicious use can cause disinformation campaigns, through the generation of false information and the manipulation of data, using social networks as a platform. The also Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, Mayra Arevich Marín said: “Cuba rejects the application of unilateral coercive measures and the use of social networks to promote hate speech, incitement to violence, subversion, destabilization, the dissemination of false news and misrepresentation of reality for political purposes and as a pretext for the unleashing of war, the threat or the use of force as a tool for interventionism.
“Our country advocates for the equitable participation of all States in the international governance of the Internet in order to guarantee its safe, stable, democratic, participatory operation, based on the UN Charter, International Law and multilateralism, where it includes all stakeholders, according to their respective roles and responsibilities. In this context, we urge countries to continue developing norms, rules and principles that regulate the ethical and responsible behavior of citizens and companies in the field of cyberspace. " At the end of her speech, the Minister of Communications of Cuba referred to the world situation related to the crisis caused by COVID-19 and noted: “Cuba calls for global unity, solidarity and international cooperation and to put aside political differences and eliminate the unilateral coercive measures imposed by some countries, which violate International Law and the Charter of the United Nations and limit the ability to States to effectively confront this pandemic. "We reiterate our commitment to strengthen cooperation, international solidarity and the exchange of experiences, with the purpose of creating a shared future on the Internet characterized by inclusion and the mutual benefit of all humanity."