Your Excellency Ambassador Peter THOMSON, President of the 71^st UN General Assembly,

Your Excellency, Dr. Abraham TEKESTE, Minister of Finance and Economic Cooperation of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, and President of the 105^th Session of the ACP Council,

Honourable Ministers,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

Excellencies, Distinguished invited guests, Ladies and gentlemen

It is indeed an honour for me this afternooon, to be granted this opportunity to provide a few opening remarks  on  our theme  for this afternoon, SHE INSPIRES, as we pay homage to  International Women’s Day (8th March, 2017), and the inspirational role of the women in our ACP countries and  in the diaspora.

Instead of speaking on behalf of ACP women, the ACP Secretariat consulted the   ACP Civil Society Forum Network, (first conceptualised in 1997; first meeting 5th July,  2001), in order  to receive their inputs on   how best to strengthen and   foster a more visible generation of inspirational women throughout our ACP regions.

Statement by the ACP Secretary General H.E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes delivered on behalf of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States, at the 14th session of the Conference of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD XIV), 21 July 2016, Nairobi, KENYA

Mr. President,

[Protocols]

Let me first of all welcome you once again to ACP House for another series of engagements in your role as legislative collaborators for intra-ACP and ACP-EU relations.  I take this opportunity to offer my apologies for not being personally present at the last session of your Assembly. As was explained, I had to leave earlier to represent the ACP Group at the UN Summit on the Sustainable Development Goals held in New York from 25 to 27 September 2015. 

I am reliably informed however of the fruitfulness of the discussions that took place at your 39^th Session.

Mr. President,

Honourable Members,

The Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji, Ratu Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama
Honourable Dr. Mamphono Kakhetla, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Lesotho, and President of the 102^nd Council Session,
Honourable Ministers,
Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

May I begin by expressing how deeply honoured I am to welcome you to the ACP House for the 102^nd Council Session. A special welcome to the Right Honourable Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji, Ratu Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, whose presence with us today signals the high esteem the Government and people of Fiji accords the ACP Group.

Honourable Ministers, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,