 On behalf of the government of Uruguay, it is my pleasure to convey our most sincere and warm congratulations to International IDEA on its 25th anniversary. We would like to recognize the relevance of the organization in promoting and strengthening democracy around the world, and commend its Secretary-General and all the staff for their work. Today, the current context of COVID-19 represents an additional challenge to democracy, and we need to ensure that electoral processes take place in a credible and transparent manner. Uruguay is proud to be one of the full democracies in the world, and it has recently conducted elections during the COVID-19 scenario, confirming that it is possible to ensure a ballot if suitable precautions are taken. We are ready to collaborate with other countries by sharing our experience. Finally, current circumstances are showing a deterioration on the quality of democracy and respect for human rights around the globe. And for this reason, we believe it is more relevant than ever that International IDEA plays an active role by providing relevant insight and knowledge to help us defend our core values.