In partnering with Sparbetos' leading higher education institution towards achieving national and regional development goals. We take note that the Caribbean is the United States's sixth largest trading partner with 35.3 billion flowing between us each year. In pursuit of our shared objective to enhance the growth and development of regional economies, we are indeed happy to work with the US government and look forward to the program of collaboration which this NUU will facilitate. Many of our region's economies are highly dependent on imports, making our economies vulnerable to external shocks, such as we are experiencing now with the COVID-19 pandemic and the collapse of our major export earner tourism. As small vulnerable economies, our export competitiveness is also hampered by high production and transport costs. In addition, the world's inequitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines is sent in the Caribbean's economic recovery and it would be remiss if they did not remark how grateful we have been in the Caribbean region for the generous donations of vaccine doses by the United States of America that have filled critical shortfalls in Caribbean countries. More than ever then, we recognize the importance of renewing our common efforts to build resilient economies by guiding access to export markets for our goods and services. Trinidad and Tobago's Prime Minister Keith Rowley in his former role as chairman of the American share this sentiment during an event on February 26th of this year that marked the launch of the Adrienne Art Latin America's Center's new Caribbean initiative to quote Prime Minister Rowley. It's a challenging moment that also offers an opportunity to reset relationships between the region and the United States, which continues to be a significant partner for our 16 million strong community in a number of areas, security, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, education, tourism and support.