Excellences, Honorables invités, Mesdames et Messieurs

C’est pour moi un véritable honneur d’avoir l’occasion de prononcer l’allocution d’ouverture sur le thème de notre évènement de cet après-midi  à savoir « ELLE INSPIRE », au moment où nous rendons hommage aux femmes à l’occasion de la Journée internationale de la femme (qui sera célébrée le 8 mars ) et au rôle d’inspiration qu’elles jouent dans nos pays et au sein de la Diaspora ACP.

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,

[Protocols]

I wish to thank you for another opportunity to be with you for this series of your meetings. I count it an honour and privilege to interact with our elected representatives from across the length and breadth of the ACP Membership. 

Thank you for the opportunity to address you on this auspicious occasion – the celebration of international women’s day. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the Secretariat for organising this event, in particular, the Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs and Human Development, Mme. Michèle Dominique Raymond, who has taken the lead in organising this event for the past 4 years.

[Protocols]

The event for which we are gathered this evening takes place in the year that makes the milestone 40^th Anniversary of the creation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States by the Georgetown Agreement on June 6, 1975.