HAVANA, Cuba, Oct 3. Cuba will move up in the 2011 Human Development Report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), announced a representative of that organization to Cuba, Khalid Malik, in Havana.

During a conference held at the International Press Center, Malik affirmed that the 2011 report that will be published in November will deal with the positive results of Cuba, which holds the 53rd position in a list made up of more than 170 countries.

The UNDP’s representative noted that the formula used to evaluate Cuba, also supported by public data from other UN agencies, allows analyzing properly health and education levels, among other factors that contribute with human development.

Malik pointed out that this reliable formula, approved by the Cuban government in 2010, will also be applied in forthcoming reports.

This strategy is carried out by the Human Development Report Office (HDR) along with national and international authorities in order to expand the range of indicators to take into account so as to include them in global classifications.

According to a note published by the UNDP official website, last June, Cuba’s main achievements are in the fields of education and health: an average education of ten years among adults and almost 18 among the youngest, and a life expectancy rate of about eight decades.

During the conference, Malik stated that the UNDP is assessing the possibility to carry out a local Human Development Report with the consent of the government.

He added that by the end of January, 2012, they have scheduled a forum on global human development with the attendance of worldwide renowned intellectuals and leaders, including Cuban professionals, to promote debates on progress and sustainability. (acn)