Ministers Freeland and Sajjan conclude a successful visit to New York for UN peacekeeping conference
The Voice of Canada News:
The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence, today concluded a successful visit to New York for the United Nations Peacekeeping Ministerial (UNPKM) conference.
On March 28, Minister Freeland delivered remarks for Canada at the High-Level Meeting on the Protection of the Global Climate, reaffirming Canada’s commitment to protecting the environment for future generations. Minister Freeland also addressed a UN Security Council open debate on terrorism, where she highlighted the threat of white supremacism and Islamophobia. She also participated in the launch of the Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations where she announced Canada’s contribution of $15 million to the Fund.
On March 29, Minister Sajjan delivered a national statement at the UNPKM, highlighting Canada’s new funding for peace operations, work on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, progress in delivering critical military capabilities, including to the UN mission in Mali, and leadership on the Vancouver Principles.
On March 29, Minister Sajjan delivered a national statement at the UNPKM, highlighting Canada’s new funding for peace operations, work on the Women, Peace and Security agenda, progress in delivering critical military capabilities, including to the UN mission in Mali, and leadership on the Vancouver Principles.At the UNPKM, Ministers Freeland and Sajjan announced that the Government of Canada is contributing more than $45 million to help enhance UN peace operations, support the increased meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peacekeeping, strengthen child protection, and assist the UN in its conflict prevention, mediation and peacebuilding efforts.
Both ministers held bilateral meetings with their counterparts as well as with senior UN officials, during their time in New York.
Quotes
“The need for international peacekeeping has never been greater than today and the meetings and conversations this week presented an important opportunity to further the priorities of ministerial Canada hosted in Vancouver in 2017. Canada’s ultimate goal is to make peace operations more effective, and this means ensuring the meaningful participation of women in all aspects of UN peace operations.”
– Freeland, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
“This ministerial is an opportunity for Canada to build on the momentum we generated at the Vancouver ministerial in 2017 and demonstrate our strong commitment to UN peacekeeping. Canada’s pledges demonstrate our resolve to work with partners to strengthen UN peacekeeping through meaningful contributions and innovative approaches.”
– Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of National Defence
Quick facts
- Canada hosted the 2017 UN Peacekeeping Defence Ministerial from November 14 to 15, 2017, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
- In Vancouver, the Government of Canada made a series of smart pledges, including a number of military, police and civilian capabilities to support UN peacekeeping, and Canada is delivering on those commitments.
- In Vancouver, Canada launched the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations and the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers.
- As part of the Elsie Initiative, Canada is partnering with the Ghana Armed Forces and the Zambia Police Service to deliver bilateral technical assistance and training, and collaborated with the UN to design and launch the Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations, which will support the deployment of more trained and qualified women as uniformed peacekeepers.
- Since the launch of the Vancouver Principles in 2017, nearly 80 countries have endorsed these principles. Canada has also led a collaborative process to develop implementation guidance to assist member states in operationalizing the Vancouver Principles.
In January 2019, Canada co-hosted with Ethiopia the third preparatory meeting on Women, Peace and Security in Addis Ababa. This meeting was intended to support a successful 2019 UN Peacekeeping Ministerial, and collectively advance the UN’s Action for Peacekeeping Initiative.
