EMBARGO jusqu’au prononcé du discours: 
Lux: 04.02.2003 – 03.30 h
Nic : 03.02.2003 – 20.30 h
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Address by HRH the Grand Duke
on the welcome ceremony hosted by 
His Excellency the President of Nicaragua
in honour of Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and Grand Duchess
Managua, 3rd February 2003

Mr President, Señora Bolaños,	
Your Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It was for us a great joy to be able to accept your invitation and pay this official visit to Nicaragua.
Our presence amongst you here in Managua is a first in many respects. Notably, it is the first time we have been welcomed in a beneficiary country of Luxembourg's cooperation policy.
I note from the warmth of your kind words of welcome that we have arrived here not as strangers, but as true friends.
For the Grand Duchess this first official visit to a country of central America has a particular significance, for her cultural links with this region, the region of her own origin, gives this visit a very special emotional dimension.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs Polfer, and the Minister of Cooperation and Humanitarian Action, Mr Goerens, join me in expressing our thanks to you for the heartfelt welcome to all those who are accompanying us on this visit.
Mr President,
Twenty years ago no-one could have imagined that two countries with such differing historical paths would meet and establish a relationship which is exemplary in more respects than one. 
Each of us recalls the time when Latin America, and your own country in particular, were undergoing intense political upheavals in which violence was ever-present. Europe, which at the time comprised only ten Member States, had the ambition to make an original and decisive contribution to halting the decline and thus ensuring the survival of this region of the world.
For although Europe has, of course, changed, no-one would suggest that the same has not happened here in Central America. Thanks to the personal commitment of the region's highest political authorities, we now see here a solid, sustainable peace; authentic pluralism; participative, and thus democratic processes; respect for human rights and the rule of law; all of them essential conditions for social and economic development and stability.
Our first reason for visiting was thus to pay tribute to all the political forces of your country, who have contributed to helping democracy take root in Nicaragua, and to do so after so many sacrifices and so much suffering from which no-one was spared.
My country stepped resolutely onto the path of bilateral cooperation — a cooperation which has grown, year by year, in scale — with the aim of helping your country find its feet and pull itself out of unacceptable poverty.
We are well aware that in the absence of some kind of new socio-economic start, sustainable development is not possible. We know, too, that such a lack is likely to weaken the democratic institutions which have taken so many years to establish.

That is why, although the Grand Duchy is not a large country and the resources available to us are consequently modest, we began with Nicaragua a general cooperation agreement, which was signed in our capital in 1994 by the former President of the Republic, Señora Violetta Chamorro. This agreement led, I would say, to a special relationship.
This was followed by a second agreement signed in 2000, under which our two countries will even make more efforts to develop a long-term program for their cooperation.
What we have done is to abandon the traditional, project-based approach in favour of a long-term, sector-by-sector plan. This means that the aims we hope to realize, and the projects by which we hope to achieve them, are clearly defined. With this approach, our relationship has reached a quite different level of quality.
It would be wrong of me not to mention also the extraordinary work being accomplished by three Luxembourg NGOs present in your country. The exemplary nature of their work has resulted in financial support by our Foundation created when we acceded to the throne, and that contribution will be formalised during this visit. 
More than ever, my country will be giving preference to concrete actions, to reality rather than to appearances.
Mr President,
It will be my pleasure during this visit to take note of the progress of our cooperation, and of its prospects for the future.
At a time when great dangers threaten, and when disaster scenarios are fashionable isn't the best answer to give ourselves inspiring projects which directly serve the people, thus showing the sceptics that there is always hope?
For when we look at the long and sometimes painful history of Nicaragua; we can see that, today, hope is more than a mere illusion.

It is in this state of mind that the Grand Duchess and I are very pleased to receive the high distinction you have the kindness to grant us.
We would like to share this honour and above all, this proof of esteem and affection, which moves us profoundly, with all those who in Luxembourg or in this country have contributed to the building of such an exemplary relationship between our two countries.
In this spirit, and with regard to your personal credit in the fight against poverty, which remains the major objective of our cooperation policy 
- I am handing you, Mr. President, the Grand Cross of the Civil and Military Order of Adolphe of Nassau and
- The Ladies’ Cross to Mrs. Bolaños, who is obviously participating directly to your action in favour of the people of Nicaragua.