Visit of Canadian Parliamentarians to Kenya, Malawi and Ethiopia Ottawa, January 17, 2013 – Nine members of the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association, led by the Association Co-Chairs, the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, P.C., M.P., and the Honourable Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, will visit Nairobi, Kenya and Lilongwe, Malawi from January 19 to 26. The Association Co-Chairs will be accompanied by the Honourable Mobina S.B. Jaffer, Senator, Mr. David Christopherson, M.P., Ms. Lois Brown, M.P., Vice-Chairs of the Association; by Mr. Tyrone Benskin, M.P. director of the Association; as well as by Mrs. Cheryl Gallant, M.P., Mr. Mike Lake, M.P., and Ms. Wai Young, M.P. In Nairobi and Lilongwe, the delegates will meet with parliamentarians and government officials so as to strengthen bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation. The delegates will also engage parliamentarians in support of democracy, governance and the rule of law; discuss matters related to economic development of these countries; learn about the role of the media and human rights; and acquaint themselves with Canada’s activity in the region, through contacts with parliamentarians, government officials, civil society groups, journalists, and businesses. In Nairobi, the Association will be following up on the visit it undertook in January 2012 by enquiring about the electoral system set up for the next general elections scheduled on March 4, 2013. These elections will be the first following the adoption of the new Constitution, 2010, and the members of the delegation will urge all Kenyan parliamentarians to hold peaceful elections. The visit to Lilongwe will be the Association’s first to the region. Further to these visits, the Honourable Mauril Bélanger, P.C., M.P., accompanied by Mr. David Christopherson, M.P., and Mrs. Cheryl Gallant, M.P., will attend the 20th ordinary session of the Assembly of the African Union scheduled from January 27 to 28, 2013 in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia. Established in 2003, the Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association promotes exchanges between African and Canadian parliamentarians, proposes initiatives likely to lead to better mutual understanding of national and international problems, and works to develop cooperation in all the fields of human activity. In addition, the Association works to develop ties with regional parliamentary groupings and the Pan-African Parliament. - 30 – For information, please contact: The Honourable
Mauril Bélanger, P.C., M.P., Co-Chair of the Canada-Africa The Honourable
Raynell Andreychuk, Senator, Co-Chair of the Canada-Africa Mr. David Gagnon,
Secretary to the Delegation, Canada-Africa
|
||
 |