 Chairperson, distinguished members, ladies and gentlemen, it is an honor to address the Regional Conference today to present the summary of the recommendations of FAO's Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean that Jamaica had the honor to host from the 5th to the 8th of March 2018 in our wonderful Montego Bay. The Regional Conference was the first in the Caribbean region in 20 years and was the occasion of celebrating the 40th anniversary of 15 country offices in the Latin America and the Caribbean region. At the conference, participants committed to following a path to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty in the region with the support of the FAO. The Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean examined and agreed that the FAO will continue to support members to improve policy instruments to end hunger, extreme poverty, and vulnerability to climate change in communities and territories that are falling behind with emphasis on rural women, indigenous peoples, disadvantaged people of African descent, and other vulnerable groups. The FAO will strengthen its assistance to members on public policies to transform food systems, promote the human right to food, and end malnutrition in all its forms. The FAO will reinforce its efforts to support countries to achieve a transformative agenda for sustainable rural development through integrated and comprehensive strategies, public policies and spaces for multi-sectoral dialogue and partnerships to eradicate rural poverty, enhance social protection with economic inclusion, promote family farming, small-scale artisanal fisheries, and aquaculture production, and address the causes of migration from rural territories. The FAO will enhance its work on enabling governments to achieve climate resilient and sustainable agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and blue growth. The FAO will support preparations towards the approval as soon as possible for an international year of fruits and vegetables, a proposal endorsed unanimously by member countries. Finally, Chairperson, on behalf of the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the most honorable and johonist, and in my capacity as Chairperson of the 35th session of the Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, I wish once again to thank all member countries for the trust they placed in Jamaica. At the same time, I reaffirm all satisfaction with the strategic direction of the FAO at the global and regional levels, and the need to continue to count on the organization for technical cooperation and the mobilization of resources needed to implement the recommendations of the Regional Conference. I thank you.