 Mr. Chairman, honorable ministers, distinguished delegates, first, on behalf of the government of the Republic of Cyprus, let me express our thanks and gratitude to the government of United Arab Emirates for hosting this plenipotentiary conference in the beautiful city of Dubai, and congratulate you, Mr. Chairman, on your election. It has been recognized that the use of telecommunications, ICTs, plays a key enabling role to achieve smart, sustainable and inclusive economy. At the same time, ICTs provide new tools with which we can deal with the various social challenges such as climate change, efficient use of energy, the reduction of carbon dioxide, and the aging population. Ladies and gentlemen, broadband accessibility should not be a privilege but a right to every citizen. Congress steps should be taken to overcome the digital divide by meeting the target of 100% coverage. At the same time, we must create a secure flow of information and operation of networks. The establishment of the National Digital Security Authority this year in Cyprus will serve that purpose. To achieve a truly digital society, we must also promote digital literacy and skills. In this effort, we need to make sure that nobody is left behind. Particular attention should be paid to the vulnerable groups of society, people with special skills, the elderly and the poor. For that reason, several training programs aiming in different groups have been developed and implemented in Cyprus. These challenges are not ahead of us. They are with us and we need to face them urgently. The ITU needs to maintain its leadership in promoting the formation society of the 21st century and bridging the digital divide. Ladies and gentlemen, the Republic of Cyprus could not remain inactive in this digital revolution. The use of telecommunications ICT in all vital sectors of the economy of Cyprus, like education, health, tourism, transport and generally in the exercise of every business activity is of paramount importance to the development of Cyprus into a regional service centre. For example, during the last years, we have managed to utilize successfully our strategy location for telecommunication purposes since we are located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. We have developed an excellent satellite, a submarine cable infrastructure, which is not only used to connect the island with its neighbouring countries and the rest of the world, but also to transfer traffic between countries and continents. Our digital strategy is in line with the ITU's strategy goals and global ICT targets. Taking this opportunity, I would like to renew our commitment in working towards the implementation of the Connect 2020 Agenda and the achievement of the five key goals that are part of the proposed 2020-2023 ITU strategy plan, namely the goals of growth, inclusiveness, sustainability, innovation and partnership. In closing, I would like to thank you for giving me the opportunity to address this pletipodestory conference. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you all for your attention.