WELCOME ADDRESS BY THE MINISTER With the permission of Your Excellencies, - Your Excellency, the Prime Minister of the Government; - Your Excellencies Deputy Prime Ministers of the Government; - Your Excellencies , Members of Government; - Your Excellency, General Secretary of PDGE; - Your Excellency the Provincial Governor of North ; - Your Excellency, the Mayoress of the City of ; - Your Excellency , the Commissioner of the African Union Commission; - Your Excellencies, the African Ministers of Transport; - Your Excellencies Ambassadors and Representatives of International Organizations; - Distinguished Authorities and Religious Representatives; - Distinguished colleague Delegates and Guests; - Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure for me and for the Republic of , to cordially welcome you to our beautiful country, specifically to the city of the African Union, Sipopo, in the THIRD SESSION OF THE CONFERENCE OF AFRICAN MINISTERS OF TRANSPORT, for a transcendental and important event of our continent as a whole, and for our country in particular, since the subjects to be discussed during the development of this conference, have had, have and will continue to have great and profound incidence and impact on all the sectors of social, economic and cultural life of our States and our people.

The Third Session of the Conference of African Ministers of Transport, which opens today under the title "ACCELERATING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSPORT PROGRAMS TO FACILITATE THE ECONOMIC GROWTH OF AFRICA" is organized and materialized under the auspices of the African Union Commission and thanks to the vision of His Excellency OBIANG NGUEMA MBASOGO, President of the Republic, Head of State and of the Government and Founding President of the Democratic Party of Equatorial Guinea, who is always safeguarding the development, cooperation, integration and solidarity of all the nations of our continent.

In this regard, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea will try, very modestly, to share the experience and progress achieved in the field of infrastructures and transport services, thanks to the successful patronage and political vision of the President of the Republic. These achievements have been and are being carried out and just to name a few and with the permission of the Delegates and guests: a) The wide national road network, whose extension spreads in almost all corners and villages of Equatorial Guinea; b) The extension of Malabo and Bata airports, as well as the construction of new ones in Annobon, and Mongomeyen, with aircraft coverage of huge tonnages that will enable air traffic in these localities and give access and facilitate air transport to all citizens; c ) The extension of Malabo and Bata seaports, as well as the construction of others in Annobon and Corisco, with major and large vessels that will enable internal and external freight traffic and the transfer or movement of people by sea. d) The activation of the National Flag Company, CEIBA, and the subsequent acquisition of new Boeing 777 aircrafts, with the appropriate human resource training, that is to say, the training of pilots and other qualified personnel. e) Building bridges over the rivers Wele or Benito with more than one kilometer in length, over the river Kie which links Equatorial Guinea to the Gabonese Republic sister in the locality of Mongomo and Ebibeyin, as well as another one which is being built in the district of Kogo, that will cross the Muni estuary. Another one in Rio Campo and one over the Ntem River to be shared with the Republic of Cameroon. All these achievements and those to be achieved demonstrate and confirm the will and decision of the Government of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea to create and build appropriate transport facilities in order to offer to its citizens and to everybody quality services in the said sectors; understood as fundamental and indispensable elements for the socio-economic and cultural development of the people who integrate Equatorial Guinea in particular and the African continent as a whole, and as a factor or catalyst of their cooperation, integration and solidarity and of the various regions and sub regions of our continent. This situation has led the Government to accept the organization of this Conference session of the African Ministers of Transport in Malabo, trying to offer you the best of it. To end my modest speech, I wish that all the Delegates, Colleagues and guests feel free and have the same possibilities to attain the objectives of this Conference, and I express my joy for your attendance at this important and significant ceremony for Equatorial Guinea and Africa alike. I urge you to actively participate in the discussions and subjects of this conference.

Once more, I welcome you and put at your disposal our humble and modest hospitality and the enthusiasm and warmth of our beloved country, Equatorial Guinea.

WELCOME, AND I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST THANK YOU VERY MUCH