- Vice President and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana

-  Distinguished Honourable Ministers

-  Our Special Guests  Ambassador Roberto Azevedo, Director General of the WTO; and Ambassador Susana MALCORRA, Former Foreign Minister of Argentina and Chairperson of the Eleventh WTO Ministerial Conference

-  Permanent Secretaries and Directors-General of Ministries responsible for Trade matters

[Protocols]

I join in extending a welcome to Ministers and Heads of Delegation to this our 5^th Meeting on Fisheries & Aquaculture. It is with deep sadness that I make reference to the loss of life and devastating damage to property in the wake of recent and current hurricanes in their destructive paths and convey condolences to the Governments and peoples so affected.

(Photo: At the opening of the 46th session of the ACP Parliamentary Assembly from left to right - ACP Secretary General H.E. Dr. Patrick I. Gomes, ACP Assistant Secretary General in charge of Political Affairs and Human Development Amb. Léonard Emile Ognimba, Acting Co- President of the ACP-EU Joint Parliamentary Assembly and 2nd Vice President of the National Assembly of Togo Hon. Mémounatou Ibrahima and the Chairman of the ACP Committee of Ambassadors, the Ambassador of Ethiopia H.E. Mr. Teshome Toga Chanaka.)

Theme: Harnessing the Blue Economy to Increase Economic Benefits for SIDS and LDCs

I would like to warmly welcome all of you and thank you for finding time to participate at our side event on harnessing the blue economy to increase economic benefits for SIDS and LDCs. I wish also, at the very outset, thank our partners, the Government of Seychelles and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, for their invaluable support in co-organizing this event. The ACP Secretariat is only too happy to join forces to host this event.

It gives me great pleasure to join in welcoming you all, on behalf of the ACP Group of States, to this e-Governance Conference 2017, hosted by the Republic of Estonia. We are grateful for the hospitality accorded to us since our arrival here in the beautiful city of Tallinn. This high-level e-Governance Conference 2017 is a significant occasion, as it provides a unique opportunity for ACP Member States to engage in deliberations and share experiences with the international community on the critical issues pertaining to the embracing of e-Governance for sustainable development in developing countries.

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.