Ambassador Soeknandan, Deputy Secretary-General, CARICOM Secretariat; Mr Dereck Springer, Director of PANCAP; Dr Shanti Singh, Knowledge Coordinator, Knowledge for Health project; members of the media, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Unites States Agency for International Development/Eastern and Southern Caribbean Mission, I welcome the opportunity to join you in celebrating the formal launch of the website, which is aimed at providing current information on the regional and global HIV response.

I was personally encouraged when I reviewed several documents on the genesis of the PANCAP Knowledge for Health project, which is being implemented by the John Hopkins University with funding through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Knowledge for Health or K4H (as it is commonly called) envisions a knowledge sharing revolution, in which health program managers and service providers at all levels around the world collaborate with and learn from each other, adapt and use global health knowledge to build stronger health systems and enable people to live healthier lives.

This launch today is therefore testimony of that vision, since the new website will offer improved functionality, interactive features and aims to intensify the level of knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking among the PANCAP partners, including civil society organizations, National AIDS Programme Managers, clinicians, technical experts in HIV, key populations (and youth within key populations), faith leaders, parliamentarians, and regional and development partners.

In an environment of reduced international funding for HIV, and the global vision of an AIDS-Free Generation, it is critical for PANCAP to continue to provide strong coordination and foster collaboration to maintain the gains partners have achieved around common priorities and goals.

It is, therefore, my sincere wish that PANCAP will continue to serve as a knowledge hub to support its members to improve the regional and national HIV response.

Ambassador, Mister Chairperson, Director of PANCAP and staff, I want to thank and to compliment all of you for this initiative, which I see as a legacy for USAID. Thank you for the opportunity to share this milestone with you today, I look forward to being involved in your planned activities and achievements.

Thank you.