HAVANA, Cuba, Jul 3 (acn) Cuba said the creation of a new United Nations (UN) body that will seek to improve the situation of women and girls around the world is a historic step.

The UN General Assembly voted on Friday to set up what will be known officially as the UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, although officials say it will be referred to as UN Women.

Cuba's UN Deputy Representative Rodolfo Benitez said the decision, approved after four years of negotiations, complies with agreements reached in 1995 aiming at attaining gender equality and the empowerment of women.

Benitez noted that Cuba supported almost all the principles upon which the body was created and added that Havana will support the role of UN Women as much as possible.

"UN Women will significantly boost UN efforts to promote gender equality, expand opportunity, and tackle discrimination around the globe," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a statement.

UN Women will focus on supporting inter-government bodies like the Commission on the Status of Women and ensuring that all United Nations agencies and organizations live up to their commitments to gender equality, the UN said in a statement.

This new UN body will consolidate four separate UN divisions now dealing with women's and gender issues.