UN General Assembly
1987

Addressing the thirty-fourth session of the General Assembly in his capacity as Chairman and on behalf of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries, Commander Fidel Castro presented the all-important demands of the underdeveloped world. He said at that time: "... unequal exchange is ruining and impoverishing our peoples and must cease. Inflation, which is being exported to us, is impoverishing our peoples and must cease. Protectionism impoverishes our peoples and must cease. The existing imbalance in the exploitation of sea resources is abusive and must be abolished. The financial resources received by the developing countries are insufficient and must be increased. Arms expenditures are irrational; they must cease and the funds thus released must be used to finance development. The international monetary system prevailing today is bankrupt and must be replaced. The debts of the least developed countries and of those in a disadvantageous position are burdens which are impossible to bear and to which no solution can be found and they must be cancelled. Indebtedness oppresses the rest of the developing countries economically and must be relieved. The wide economic gap between the developed countries and the countries seeking development, instead of diminishing, is being widened and must be closed ... . (A/34/PV. 31, pp. 42 and 43-45)