Showing posts with label Ban Ki-Moon. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ban Ki-Moon. Show all posts
Friday, October 14, 2016
Sajjan meets with United Nations officials in New York
Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan today completed a successful visit to United Nations headquarters in New York, NY, where he met with UN, US, and African officials, and reiterated Canada’s commitment to United Nations peace operations as part of Canada’s broader efforts to re-energize Canadian diplomacy and leadership on the world’s stage.
During his visit to the UN, Minister Sajjan met with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and UN Secretary General designate Antonio Guterres, as well as other key UN officials, including Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Hervé Ladsous, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, and United States Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power. Topics of discussion included Canada’s recently-announced support to UN peace support operations, and the planning and objectives of the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial, which, as announced in September, will be hosted by Canada.
“I’m pleased to have had the opportunity to meet with partners at the UN and look forward to working together as we host the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial in Canada,” said Minister Sajjan. “Our government is re-engaging with our allies and partners on global peace and security issues. We have committed to help lead peace support operations and will do our part, in collaboration with our allies and partners, to build a more secure and peaceful world.”
Minister Sajjan hosted a luncheon with African Ambassadors, including representatives from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone. The Minister highlighted Canada’s efforts to re-engage with African countries and discussed global peace and security priorities, particularly in the context of the security challenges facing Africa.
In August 2016, the Government of Canada announced a commitment of up to 600 Canadian Armed Forces members for deployment on UN peace support operations.
The exact size and composition of any future CAF deployment to a UN mission will be based on discussions with the UN and Canada’s partner nations, as well as an assessment of where Canada can best make a meaningful impact.
On August 26, 2016, the Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced the launch of Global Affairs Canada’s new Peace and Stabilization Operations Program (PSOPs). Canada is devoting $450 million to PSOPs. The new funding will help better protect civilians, including the most vulnerable groups, such as displaced persons, refugees, women and children.
In September 2016, the Government of Canada announced its intent to host the 2017 United Nations peacekeeping conference, which is expected to bring together representatives from more than 30 countries.
Friday, February 12, 2016
Canada to Seek Seat on Security Council
Written By: The Associated Press
Originally published February 11, 2016
Canada plans to make a bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday as he hosted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
At a news conference in Ottawa, Trudeau said he has indicated to Ban that Canada wants to “re-engage robustly” with the United Nations and the global community.
That includes “looking towards a bid for the UN Security Council," Trudeau said.
In 2010, Canada lost its bid for a two-year council term to Portugal, even though it held a seat at the table off and on for six decades. Critics blamed the historic loss on Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, saying that it failed to make a strong bid.
Paul Heinbecker, a former Canadian ambassador to the UN, said Canada’s frosty relationship with the organization dates back to 2006 when a Canadian peacekeeper was killed during the Israeli-Lebanese war.
“The loss of the Security Council seat, I think, was indicative that the contempt that the Canadian government was manifesting for the UN was being reciprocated by the UN members,” Heinbecker said on CTV’s Power Play Thursday.
“They preferred a bankrupt Portugal -- a country they knew was bankrupt -- to a solvent Canada,” he said.
Heinbecker said former prime minister Harper “basically snubbed” the UN multiple times by choosing to not show up to events.
“I think what we saw today with Ban Ki-Moon and Prime Minister Trudeau in their press conference was a much warmer relationship, a much more enthusiastic relationship.”
Ban said he welcomes Trudeau’s plan and called Canada “one of our most important partners.”
He credited Trudeau’s leadership with helping secure the “breakthrough” global agreement on climate change reached at the Paris summit in December.
Ban also “highly” applauded Canada’s ongoing efforts to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees.
Ban said he and Trudeau had a “very constructive exchange” Thursday on a number of issues that also included global security and Canada’s contribution to UN peacekeeping missions, which has fallen from around 3,300 troops in 1993 to just 113 today.
The UN chief also seemed to nudge Trudeau to boost Canada’s international aid spending for poorer nations.
“I’m sure that Prime Minister Trudeau and his government will pay more focus on this matter,” Ban said.
Both Ban and Trudeau expressed their outrage over recent allegations that UN peacekeepers sexually abused underage girls in the Central African Republic.
Canada plans to make a bid for a seat on the UN Security Council, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday as he hosted UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon.
At a news conference in Ottawa, Trudeau said he has indicated to Ban that Canada wants to “re-engage robustly” with the United Nations and the global community.
That includes “looking towards a bid for the UN Security Council," Trudeau said.
In 2010, Canada lost its bid for a two-year council term to Portugal, even though it held a seat at the table off and on for six decades. Critics blamed the historic loss on Stephen Harper’s Conservative government, saying that it failed to make a strong bid.
Paul Heinbecker, a former Canadian ambassador to the UN, said Canada’s frosty relationship with the organization dates back to 2006 when a Canadian peacekeeper was killed during the Israeli-Lebanese war.
“The loss of the Security Council seat, I think, was indicative that the contempt that the Canadian government was manifesting for the UN was being reciprocated by the UN members,” Heinbecker said on CTV’s Power Play Thursday.
“They preferred a bankrupt Portugal -- a country they knew was bankrupt -- to a solvent Canada,” he said.
Heinbecker said former prime minister Harper “basically snubbed” the UN multiple times by choosing to not show up to events.
“I think what we saw today with Ban Ki-Moon and Prime Minister Trudeau in their press conference was a much warmer relationship, a much more enthusiastic relationship.”
Ban said he welcomes Trudeau’s plan and called Canada “one of our most important partners.”
He credited Trudeau’s leadership with helping secure the “breakthrough” global agreement on climate change reached at the Paris summit in December.
Ban also “highly” applauded Canada’s ongoing efforts to bring in 25,000 Syrian refugees.
Ban said he and Trudeau had a “very constructive exchange” Thursday on a number of issues that also included global security and Canada’s contribution to UN peacekeeping missions, which has fallen from around 3,300 troops in 1993 to just 113 today.
The UN chief also seemed to nudge Trudeau to boost Canada’s international aid spending for poorer nations.
“I’m sure that Prime Minister Trudeau and his government will pay more focus on this matter,” Ban said.
Both Ban and Trudeau expressed their outrage over recent allegations that UN peacekeepers sexually abused underage girls in the Central African Republic.
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