Today we are gathered here to mark this achievement, which is the fruit of the excellent cooperation between the United States of America and Madagascar. For us, this ceremony presents three aspects of equal importance:
First, this ceremony translates into concrete action the will of the American Government and the Government of the Republic of Madagascar to further reinforce the already excellent cooperation and the good relationship existing between the two countries. Indeed, thanks to this Leland project, the Telecommunications sector in Madagascar is equipping itself with modern tools to enable the Malagasy society to open itself to the third millennium. Thanks to this invaluable gift, Madagascar has benefitted from another form of investment policy. Thus, Madam Ambassador, please convey to the American Government all the gratitude of the Malagasy people for this achievement. I hope that, in the future, the Telecommunications sector will continue to benefit from your Government's support.
Second, this ceremony is tangible evidence of the fact that liberalization of the Telecommunications sector has been translated into concrete action. Indeed, this achievement is an opportunity to promote private sector companies through the other nine Internet Service Providers, recently selected for their competence and their professionalism, and represented here by their association. By granting them a license and by offering them highly competitive tafiffs, the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications and Malagasy Telecom means to further encourage partnership with operators in the private sector. Ladies and Gentlemen, please allow me to say a few words to these new service providers. First of all, we make it a point to express all our congratulations to you since you have been selected from among a dozen bidders. We hope that you will begin this new work, fist to do good business, but mainly to improve services and service to customers.
Third, on the occasion of Telecommunications Day which we celebrate tomorrow, and whose theme is "TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE", to us, this ceremony seems appropriate to illustrate such a theme because the Internet network is a very powerful tool through services such as NEWS, FORUMS and E-MAIL, to name but a few, for the worldwide broadcasting of news relating to humanitarian assistance, emergency relief, etc.
Lastly, Madam Ambassador, please convey our warm gratitude to the American Government. On behalf of the whole Malagasy people, we say: THANK YOU!