 Her Excellency, Ms. Sahalwark Zawde, President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Her Excellency, Ms. Yalem Zagaya, Minister of Women's, Children's and Youth Affairs, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Her Excellency, Professor Sara Angon, Commissioner of the Human Resource Science Technology of AU. Ms. Doreen Bogan, Martin Director of Telecommunication Development, Bureau ITU. Mr. Andrew Roo, Director of the Regional Office for Africa of the ITU, Excellencies Ambassadors, Excellencies Heads of UN and International Organizations, distinguished panelists, ladies and gentlemen, and most importantly, our girls in ICT. It is an honor and a pleasure for me to see you all here today to celebrate the International Girls in ICT Day on behalf of the Minister of Innovation and Technology. I really find this celebration most relevant as it would serve the appropriate focus at a time when my government is undertaking gender quality, which is focused at a time when my government is undertaking gender equality, which reflect us by assigning 50 of the cabinet women, which is the first of its kind in history of Ethiopia and probably in Africa. Girls in ICT Day celebration was commenced by ITU as an awareness creation campaign to encourage girls and young women to consider study and work in the ever-growing ICT field with strong support from the technology sector, national government, and international organizations. Girls in ICT Day has rapidly grown as its global movement. Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, our girls in ICT. A very large number of girls and women are denied access to great opportunities that developing countries cannot afford to miss out, with the ICT sector offers greater employment opportunities. To date, almost job requires some digital skill, and there is a huge growth skill shortage in the ICT sector globally. It has been estimated that there is a shortfall of over two million skills in ICT professionals. We strongly want girls and women to capture these growing ICT-related job opportunities. However, the lack of qualified people as well as the lack of diversity among the employees is a serious problem. Thus, the ITU initiative is leading in trying to get more girls into this sector, and I am very proud to see all these girls from high school here today. One of our social responsibilities is to make sure that the future value of ICT brings to our girls and young women a certain. With the support from ITU, regional and international organizations, government and the private sector, these excellent students here all and all their sisters, which are not present in this hall, can reach their potential and be granted with a brighter future. Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, our girls in ICT. My government is making a lot of effort in this sector. We take the issue of gender very seriously. We are working hard to make sure that all our policies and strategies are based on gender inclusion. The Ministry of Innovation and Technology supports and encouraged girls and young women in the use of ICT in different ways. It dedicates 30% of capacity building trainings and training for micro-entrepreneurs. The Ministry of Innovation and Technology also committed to support information and communication technology sector with different schemes, working with partnership with those who engage in ICT in the first one. With this program, the Ministry of Partnering with Technology and Engineering Company in the blockchain and cryptocurrency had trained 22 girls in Haskell programming language and 75 of them will be expected to be hired by the company in Ethiopia. In addition, the Ministry of Partnership with Techno Innovation, PLC Ethiopia, provides financial support for 100 girls to engage in 17 mobile software development and also award the best performers. The Ministry together with the ICT Center for Excellence launched the annual ICT Ethiopian competition. The ICT Innovation Competition cultivates the skill and potential of future ICT entrepreneurs. This competition has two parts. The first one is open to every professional and students. The second one is to girls and women, only competition to encourage girls and women innovators and application developers. There is also another program that is launched by the Ministry to promote ICT sector, as well as the participation of girls and young women in technology. Within the framework of innovation fund, 20% is only dedicated for girls and women applicants and the rest 80% for every applicant to compete and secure the fund for project. One of the era of competition is information communication technology. And also many other initiatives for girls and young women. Excellencies distinguish girls, ladies and gentlemen, our girls in ICT. ICT plays an instrumental role on transforming socio-economic development by enabling better health care delivery, improving access to quality education, enhancing good governance, encouraging citizens to participate in national and international affairs and alike. But this can be realized only when the girls and the young women who care and love the society a natural way to harness and use this technology as its maximum potential. So if you want to improve the lives of others and the environment around us, we need to create a collaborative ICT ecosystem that creates an opportunity for girls and young women to get educated, work and create worlds. You girls and young women, we need your voice is heard in all and every aspect. You need to speak out about the things that are needed to make you a better girl and woman. You the girls and women are more valuable in taking our family, our community into the future where we all prosper. You are not too young to become involved and to lead the sector. Use your skills in ICT, blog, tweet, post message to tell your educators, employers, policy makers what you need to make your better future. The Ministry of Innovation and Technology is with you to assist anything in its capacity. Excellencies, distinguished participants, ladies and gentlemen, our girls in ICT. Finally, the message I have for you young girls celebrating girls in ICT day here is indeed great and timely, especially considering how the ICT sector is rapidly advancing at a global level and generating more and more jobs. Therefore, aim to be technology creator and innovator, not only user. Don't use any excuse. What really matters is a burning desire that is inside you. You are the next generation leader in science technology and innovation. ICT, especially the future technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics, internet of things, big data analytics, blockchain, digital currencies and the like are the ones shaping the future of the world and the way of our life. Don't stay behind. Be bold and courageous to lead, build, contribute and benefit from the future of this future digital world. I wish you success and hope that in this day girls in ICT day will inspire you to take advantage of and contribute to the success of our digital future. Finally, I would like to congratulate the ICT Regional Office for Africa for excellent work done and wonderful effort made in organizing this celebration. And I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all the partners and this very important initiative and I thank you all.