 Your Excellency, Chairman of the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018, ITU Secretary-General and Elected Officials, Your Excellencies, Ministers, Heads of Delegation, Distinguished Guests, All Protocols Observed. First, allow me to, on behalf of the Rwandan Delegation, to thank the Government of UAE for the warm welcome and the impeccable organization. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Rwanda's ICT sector has registered tremendous progress over the last 24 years, thanks to the leadership of our President and the partnership of ITU that has paved way for the private players to collaborate and co-invest in rolling out high broadband networks across the country. As we continue to seek ways to achieve our ambitious vision of becoming a knowledge-best economy, we've prioritized leveraging this state-of-the-art infrastructure to support the development of homegrown innovative solutions that address challenges that are unique to our continent. We are witness to the improved healthcare, delivery powered by drones, citizens and businesses in Rwanda are able to access services online, driving an inclusive, cashless and paperless economy. The impact of this new wave of innovations in developing economies is very transformational, making it possible to leapfrog generations of long-established technologies. Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Rwanda family believes that the role of ITU in bringing together member states to debate key policy issues and work towards a sustainable digital future is crucial today more than ever. The Fourth Industrial Revolution is gaining momentum with some of the emerging technologies growing exponentially. I would like to call on all member states to work together for a stronger union capable of responding to the expectations of the membership, both now and in the future. Particular attention needs to be paid to ICT development issues in order to avoid a digital chasm between developed and the developing countries, which will have far greater consequences in the Fourth Industrial Revolution than the digital divide in connectivity alone. Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Rwanda is firmly convinced that the key role of ITU is to bring together member states to debate key issues in terms of sustainable digital economy policies. During the Fourth Industrial Revolution, where certain technologies are growing exponentially, it is more important that all member states work together for a stronger union to enable a future. For this reason, Rwanda is seeking re-election to the ITU Council to continue working with all of you towards this noble goal. As part of the 13 member states that have been endorsed by the African Union, we pledge our continuous support to the broader ITU vision and reiterate our commitment towards total global digital inclusion. Thank you for your kind attention. I thank you for your kind attention. Thank you.