 It is a tremendously exciting time for the ICT industry. We are at the unique and uniquely disruptive moment in history, where many exponential developments in technology, science and society are coming together. We in the ICT industry are the heart and backbone of those developments. The infrastructure, innovation and technology that is powering change on such an unprecedented scale. There is no one single development that is key to the near future. It is the impact of so many different strands from artificial intelligence to biotechnology, from the sensor powered internet of things to big data analytics and software defined networks from wearable tech to deep learning that is going to make the difference. If you think how different life has become in the space of such a short time since the widespread introduction of just one new technology, the mobile phone and then multiply that many times you begin to understand the scope of such change that is taking place at this moment. First of all I would like to welcome you all to this event that delegates from across the entire industry ecosystem from governments, businesses, international organizations and research institutions from across the globe. Disruptive technological developments are leading the convergence and partnerships between ICTs and vertical sectors from manufacturing to banking, health to energy. ICTs increasingly no longer operate within just the industry but are competing in an arena of activity that involves stakeholders from all other sectors. My main message is this, let's learn to work together to collaborate to find partnerships that might be unusual but are effective. Together we are stronger and it is only by working together that we will find the solutions to meet global developmental challenges and drive the industry forward. Let's work together. ICT has always been unique. It is the only major event of its kind that brings together an audience from the public and private sectors from heads of government to leaders of the industry from developed and developing markets. Its program of debates, networking and knowledge sharing opportunities bring together the ideas, the innovations, investment opportunities and partnership potential that really matters. It is an event that not only debates the need for cooperation and collaboration but actively fosters it indeed. Where else in the world can you meet a minister from Africa over coffee, discuss the future of spectrum allocation with a regulator from Asia in a panel session and network with a CEO from America at lunch. Meeting, discussing and networking face-to-face that is the value of ITU telecom world. Exchanging ideas, inspiration and contacts. It is a tremendous event and one I am very happy to have been part of. Well, these ages have been tremendous satisfaction for me. As the Secretary General of ITU had the opportunity to really have an impact on highlighting the importance of information and communication technology to the world. Today broadband is in the heart of every national development plan. Today ICT is part of the solutions of all of the major problems and challenges the world is facing today. From meeting the Millennium Development Goals to climate change and environmental sustainability to sustainable development agenda that we are talking about. Therefore, leaving ITU at the end of my eight years as Secretary General I feel like leaving the legacy of having highlighted the importance of information and communication technology but most importantly bringing the ICT community together. Eight years ago the communities were strongly divided along some ideological lines and today I can talk about one ITU within and outside our community and therefore I am very happy to see that movement coming together and also bringing all stakeholders from the government and private sector together, all of them thinking as one. And I am also happy to see the legacy continuing inside ITU because the team that has been elected, Secretary General, Deputy Secretary General and the three directors are really all in tune with the past eight years that we have been working together.