Minister Joly to attend Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting and NATO Summit

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

June 21, 2022 – Ottawa, Ontario - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, from June 22 to 25 to attend the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting. The Minister will then travel to Madrid, Spain, from June 28 to 30 to attend the NATO Leaders’ Summit along with Prime Minister Trudeau.

While in Kigali, Rwanda, Minister Joly will join Prime Minister Trudeau at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. She will also participate in a series of meetings with her counterparts to discuss global and regional pressing issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the food security crisis and climate change as well as the impacts of Russia’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine.

Minister Joly will highlight throughout the meetings the core values and principles that are the foundation of the Commonwealth: free and open democratic societies, and the promotion of peace and prosperity for all people. She will also participate in an event on advancing gender equality, ending violence against women and girls and promoting women’s equal participation in leadership and decision-making.

At the NATO Leaders’ Summit in Madrid, Spain, Minister Joly will meet with Allies and Partners to work on collective actions to address transatlantic security challenges, particularly President Putin’s unprovoked and unjustifiable invasion of Ukraine and its wide reaching impacts.

Allies will also review NATO’s efforts to evolve and adapt to the changing security environment and set a course for the Alliance’s future through tangible actions. These efforts will ensure that NATO remains strong, united and ready to tackle any challenge to Allied security.

Quotes

“In these difficult times, our countries are looking to us to work together to tackle the most pressing challenges of our time. The international community can count on Canada as a steadfast and committed partner, to advance shared priorities and to shape our future for the better.”

- Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs

Quick facts

  • The modern Commonwealth is a values-based association of 54 countries, most with historic links to the United Kingdom and home to over 2.4 billion citizens over 5 continents.

  • Canada joined the modern Commonwealth in 1949 and has played an important role in its evolution into the Commonwealth of today.

  • Canada is the second largest donor to the Commonwealth and contributed a total of $10.73 million to the organization in 2020-21. Canada is also the country host of the Commonwealth of Learning which uses distance learning and technologies to expand access to education and training that leads to economic growth, social inclusion and environmental conservation.

  • The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a cornerstone of Canada’s international security and defence policy, and the primary international forum in which to engage and collaborate with Allies and partners on transatlantic defence and security.

  • Canada is doing its part to contribute to NATO operations and activities along the eastern flank. In recent years, Canada has significantly increased its military contributions to NATO, in particular through its leadership of the NATO enhanced Forward Presence battle group in Latvia.

Associated links

Contacts

Adrien Blanchard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Adrien.Blanchard@international.gc.ca

Media Relations Office
Global Affairs Canada
media@international.gc.ca
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