Cuba appoints representative to coordinate presidency of G-77 + China

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 17 (ACN) The Cuban Council of State appointed Pedro Luis Pedroso Cuesta as ambassador, special representative, to coordinate the presidency of the Group of 77 plus China (G-77+China), which the Caribbean nation will assume during the current year.

Agreement 461 of that body, published in Official Gazette 17, consequently releases Pedroso Cuesta from his post as permanent representative of Cuba to the United Nations, based in New York.

Gerardo Peñalver Portal, first deputy minister of foreign affairs of the island, from that function will assume the functions of permanent representative to the UN, as indicated in the Agreement 462, available in the same number of the normative publication.

On January 12, Cuba assumed the pro tempore presidency of the G-77+China, the largest and most diverse forum for concerted action in the multilateral arena, which brings together developing countries.

The G-77+China (whose name refers to the initial 77 members) brings together 134 member states, representing two-thirds of the United Nations system and 80 percent of the world's population.

Founded in June 1964, the group provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on major international economic issues.