 We stand in solidarity today with millions around the world to commemorate International Biodiversity Day under the theme, Building a Shared Future for All Life. As the world eagerly awaits the adoption of the POST 2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, this theme emphasizes the need for urgent action to achieve a vision which is a world living in harmony with nature by 2050, where biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used by maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people. Biodiversity plays an integral role in our lives including the provision of material goods like food, fodder and fiber, ecosystem services through flood control, nutrient cycling and climate regulations and non-material benefits like recreation. Other benefits of biodiversity include its contribution to agriculture through pollination and pest control, carbon storage and sequestration and its positive effects on human, physical and mental health. Sandusia has a rich source of biodiversity and efforts must be continued in maintaining and where possible enhancing our rich biodiversity stock. Significant efforts have been made by many government agencies, local organizations, civil society and local communities in restoring and rehabilitating many degraded areas and habitats throughout the island and in our coastal waters to preserve our precious biodiversity. Sandusia recently ratified the Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity. This agreement will allow for Sandusia and St. Lucian's to benefit from the use of our genetic resources and the associated traditional knowledge. Opportunities exist for local and foreign individuals and entities to unlock the hidden potential of our local genetic resources to be used in a variety of ways including medicinal purposes, cosmetics, agriculture and biotechnology. This could lead to the creation of new livelihoods for local community members and increased revenue generation for our country. As the world struggles to recover from and adapt to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, biodiversity can be used as a platform to revitalize our economy. As we endeavor to rebuild, biodiversity can be a foundation and can serve as the answer to many sustainable development challenges, including solutions to climate change, health issues, solid waste, food and water security, sustainable livelihoods and nature-based solutions. This is an opportune time to not only reevaluate the abundant resources nature provides and how they supply our basic needs for food, good health and survival, but also a time to consider the threats posed to biodiversity. Before taking action to address these threats, we must first understand the issue so we can determine feasible and sustainable solutions. As we celebrate today, let us remember the important role that biodiversity plays in our lives. Let us continue to conserve and protect our biodiversity to ensure that our citizens can access the benefits from the utilization of our natural resources now and for generations to come. Fellow citizens, we need to join in building a shared future for all life.