I was at the meeting of ‘EU and Mauritius: Strengthening the Competitiveness and Sustainability of Sugar Cane Industries of ACP Countries through Research and Development’, held at the Labourdonais Hotel, Caudan in presence of eminent personalities. The objective of the event was to present the research projects on sugar cane and its by-products that have been selected for funding by the European Union .I thank the delegation of the European Union, to have extended to me, an invitation as Minister responsible for Science, Research and Technology to speak on the “Role of Science and Research for a Small Island State”.