Distinguished delegates:

Allow me, first of all, to express my most sincere acknowledgement to the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the organization of the Seventh Conference of Ministers of Information of the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.

I am convinced that I am conveying the feelings of all the participants in this Senior Officers Meeting when I express our appreciation to the organizers of the event for the warm welcome given us in beautiful Margarita Island.

At the same time, I take this opportunity to pay tribute to and acknowledge the magnificent work done by Malaysia as Chairman of COMINAC, whose performance and commitment will be an example for continuing the work of the Movement in the field of information and communications, and an important referent for the future chairmanship of this forum by Venezuela.

Distinguished delegates:

In the prevailing unjust international order, the rich and powerful countries continue to exert an excessive influence in determining the nature and direction of international relations. Information and communications are also hostages of this hegemonic power.

The fast technological development in all spheres of human activities, paradoxically fails to bring a solution to the great differences between the rich and the poor, marked by contrasts that increasingly worsen and extend also to the field of information and communications and related technologies. We speak then of the so-called digital divide, with the illusion that it is a soluble temporary issue.

A very peculiar information flow originates, in which the news are either disseminated or silenced according to the convenience of the powerful, lies are imposed, history is manipulated, discrimination is legitimized and freedom of expression and information is outraged.

The establishment of a New Information and Communications World Order becomes more necessary with each passing day. This is an aspiration that the countries of the South have demanded for decades and that we will continue to champion, albeit those who manipulate most of the information at world level continue to try to convince us that fighting the established status quo is impossible and to submissively and resignedly accept what they are trying to impose on us as spectators. They are trying to force us to be passive receivers of the bombardment of messages and stereotypes made to suit the interests of their political, economic and ideological domination. That is why we must emphasize and make the best of the possibilities offered by the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries to undertake concrete concerted actions aimed at playing the active role we should play on our own right, concerning the use of media resources and the enjoyment of the vertiginous progress of science and technology in the field of information and communications.

The unavoidable need for us to unite, to arrive more united and with concerted actions at the increasingly complex international scenarios, shows the importance of having mechanisms that allow us to coordinate our position in an expeditious and dynamic way.

Esteemed colleagues:

In a few minutes we will begin the sessions of work and negotiation, to submit to our Heads of Delegation the draft documents that must be adopted in this Seventh Conference of Ministers of Information of the Non-Aligned Countries: the Final Declaration and the Program of Action. We are confident that we will have a frank, supportive debate in defense of our points of view, positions and interests.

We must close ranks to defend our rights. The risks, threats and difficulties we face are similar and have a common origin. We must demonstrate to the world our strength, our ability to confront together the enormous challenges imposed by a world controlled by the most powerful.

We are convinced that the documents we will adopt here shall contribute to the active actions of the Movement in the intense debates and processes taking place in the world concerning information and communications issues.

The strength of our unity shall not be ignored.

Let us strive to make way for the truth.

Thank you very much.