~Mr. President, Excellencies, Ladies & Gentlemen, It gives me great pleasure to be here today with the president of the Syrian Arab Republic at the inauguration of the National Biotechnology Centre. This Centre symbolizes the transition of India-Syria relations from its traditional roots to the contemporary age. One of the elements of the knowledge revolution of our era is the way in which advances in biotechnology have contributed to accelerated growth and development.

Humankind has a lot to benefit from biotechnology. Its discoveries and techniques are of crucial value to developing countries. It provides them with powerful tools to increase agricultural production, fight dreaded diseases, combat nutritional deficiencies, and protect the environment.

However, the development of biotechnology products is knowledge-based and capital-intensive. It involves extensive research and development. There is therefore an obvious logic for developing countries to share experiences and research findings in the effort to develop the most cost-effective technology multiplier. Through scientific partnerships and alliances, our countries can create value-addition to innovation and commercialize technologies for products which increase human welfare.

India and Syria have already been sharing expertise in this field, training scientists and building capacities through programmes at the institutional and national level. It is this interaction, which has culminated in the establishment of this national biotechnology centre.

The Executive Work Plan which we have signed this morning has a five-year road map for further bilateral cooperation in this sphere, through increased institutional collaboration for joint research activities, and exchange of scientists and technical information.

To effectively implement this comprehensive Work plan, I am happy to announce that India will extend a grant of one million dollars to the national Biotechnology Centre of Syria. I hope this will help the Centre to establish a state-of-the art facility. Such a facility would not only benefit the people of Syria, but also contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of all people in the region. It would also be a powerful demonstration of the immense peaceful and developmental applications of biotechnology.

Thank you.~