The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Canada's bid for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council, The Right Honourable Joe Clark, P.C., C.C., will travel to Algeria, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt from March 2-9.
As Special Envoy, Mr. Clark will continue to strengthen bilateral relationships between Canada and the four countries and will discuss how we can collaborate further on high-priority issues including regional security, trade, as well as cooperation in multilateral and international fora.
Mr. Clark will also discuss views on how we can work together to contribute to an effective Security Council capable of adapting and responding to the world's pressing international peace and security challenges.
Quotes
"Canada highly values its long-standing relationships with Algeria, Egypt, Bahrain, and Qatar. I am pleased to have Mr. Clark's support as we campaign for a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council."
- Hon. François-Philippe Champagne, P.C., M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
"I look forward to helping strengthen these important relationships, including on issues such as peace and security. Canada is committed to working together with our partners toward a more peaceful and inclusive world."
- Rt. Hon. Joe Clark
Quick facts
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Algeria and Canada participated in the launch of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) in 2011, and until 2019, were co-chairs of the Capacity-building in the West Africa Region Working Group (previously the Sahel Working Group).
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Canada and Egypt cooperate on international peacekeeping, including through Canada's participation in the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai region.
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Canadian Forces personnel are deployed to Bahrain as part of Combined Task Force 150, a multinational coalition based in Bahrain, responsible for naval maritime security and counter-terrorism in the Horn of Africa region.
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Qatar is home to one of Canada's most successful examples of direct investment abroad in education - the College of North Atlantic-Qatar - a partnership worth in excess of $1.5 billion. Since 2002, over 4,500 students have graduated from this premier technical college.
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In 2018, the value of bilateral trade between Canada and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region (excluding Israel) was $12.44 billion with Canada's exports worth $6.20 billion and its imports, $6.24 billion. Taken as a whole, the region is Canada's eighth-most important trading partner.
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Strong people-to-people ties in the MENA region, as well as presence of diaspora communities from many of these countries, give Canada an edge in trade. In 2018, approximately 29,000 students came from the MENA region to study in Canada, contributing millions of dollars to the Canadian economy. Many of the students return home and remain champions of Canada.
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If elected to the UN Security Council, Canada will continue to work closely with our partners to sustain peace, address climate change, promote economic security, advance gender equality, and strengthen multilateralism.
