 January 28th is Data Protection Day. IOM is committed to facilitating safe orderly and regular migration, while safeguarding the dignity and well-being of migrants, displaced persons and other people on the move. The collection and processing of personal data is central to IOM's work to achieve these goals, whether providing beneficiaries with access to shelter and resources, managing cash-based interventions, or offering resettlement and reintegration assistance. IOM is committed to protecting the personal data of IOM's beneficiaries, placing data protection at the heart of our protection and assistance work, and ensuring also that the personal data of migrants is exchanged safely, stored securely and treated confidentially in line with data protection principles. IOM works with a broad range of partners. The effective implementation of IOM programming often involves the exchange of personal data of beneficiaries with those partners. This year, on Data Protection Day, we are focusing on the theme of data transfer. IOM staff should be reminded of the requirements for transfer in accordance with IOM data protection principles, specifying the purpose of the transfer, informing the beneficiaries and obtaining their written consent. In 2023, as we strengthen our cooperation with our partners, we aim to improve this efficiency of data transfer and work by developing harmonized language to govern data transfer. On this day, I also wish to recognize the work done by IOM and its staff in the area of data protection. Since the adoption of its data protection principles in 2009, IOM has been at the forefront of efforts to prevent unnecessary and disproportionate interference with the privacy of migrants. IOMS was one of the first international organizations to adopt a data protection policy and as an active member of the UN Privacy Policy Group contributed to the high-level UN principles on personal data protection and privacy. We will continue to follow and contribute to the development of best practices in all our work. New technologies such as cloud computing, biometrics and artificial intelligence present opportunities for IOM to expand the scope and increase the efficiency of our work. But at the same time, these technologies create novel opportunities for data misuses and data security risks. As we take advantage of innovative tools, we need to remain vigilant and seek to continuously understand and address these emergent areas of potential vulnerabilities. Data Protection Day 2023 is an opportunity for us to celebrate our achievements in the field of privacy and data protection and to build upon those achievements to tackle new challenges to ensure our beneficiaries have full trust and confidence. Thank you.