Minister Sajjan concludes participation at opening of 77th UN General Assembly

From: Global Affairs Canada

News release

September 23, 2022 - New York City, United States - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada, wrapped up a successful 5 days of meetings and events as a member of Canada’s delegation to the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Week and the UN Transforming Education Summit.

While in New York City, Minister Sajjan met with partners from around the world to discuss important development issues and take action towards advancing the Sustainable Development Goals, including gender equality. He also focused on access to quality education; climate action; food security and nutrition; sexual and reproductive health and rights; support for refugees and host communities; and ending child, early and forced marriage.

To underline Canada’s commitment to quality education, Minister Sajjan co-hosted an event celebrating collective successes achieved since the Charlevoix Declaration in 2018 with the Canadian International Education Policy Working Group. He expressed our  commitment to supporting quality education for refugees, other forcibly displaced, and host community children and youth through the Together for Learning campaign. During an event with UNICEF, Canada joined the Generation Unlimited Leadership Council to help expand education, training and employment opportunities for young people in the Global South by working with youth leaders, the private sector and civil society. At both events, Minister Sajjan highlighted Canada’s engagement in amplifying youth voices, supporting transformative approaches to education, and working with developing country partners and grassroots organizations to ensure that all children and youth have access to safe and inclusive education.

During the Child Malnutrition Crisis: Pledging to Save Lives event hosted by the United States Agency for International Development and UNICEF, Minister Sajjan pledged $75 million in humanitarian funding to support the United States’ Call to Action on Acute Malnutrition. This funding was part of the allocations announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau earlier this week, and includes $35 million to support UNICEF’s work in treating severe, acute malnutrition and $40 million to support humanitarian nutrition programming through non-governmental organizations.

At an event focused on solidarity with refugees and other forcibly displaced persons in Central America and Mexico, Minister Sajjan emphasized Canada’s continued support for the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) and handed over the role of chairperson of the MIRPS Support Platform to the United States. He underscored Canada’s 2022 allocation of $13.15 million to key humanitarian partners working to address life-saving, immediate needs and provide emergency assistance in the region. During the event, our support for 3 capacity-building projects with the International Organization for Migration and the UN Refugee Agency was announced on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

Minister Sajjan joined the Ford Foundation, the Equality Fund and government donors in celebrating the launch of the Alliance for Feminist Movements, a platform to improve funding for grassroots women’s organizations while amplifying the work feminist movements undertake globally.

During his engagements at the UNGA, Minister Sajjan highlighted Canada’s $1.21-billion pledge to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which was announced by Prime Minister Trudeau at a pledging event on September 21, 2022. The Prime Minister also announced the allocation of $100 million for the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response Mechanism, which supports countries to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on programs to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria and initiates critical improvements in health and community systems.

Throughout the week, Minister Sajjan had the opportunity to meet with ministers, partners and youth from around the world. During meetings with UN partners, he reiterated Canada’s commitment to the multilateral system and announced $78.3 million in core funding to several UN agencies.

Quotes

“Every child and person has a gift to offer this world, and it’s our job to make sure that no one is left behind, especially those who are the most vulnerable, like women and girls. The UN General Assembly provides essential opportunities to connect with leaders and change makers on international issues that matter to all of us including finding meaningful commitments towards achieving gender equality. I was also pleased to share the stage and meet with youth leaders, who shared invaluable insights on the issues that impact their lives. It is heartening to see the world come together to advance our shared priorities and take concerted action toward building a healthier, more peaceful and more equitable world.”

- Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada

Quick facts

  • In addition to the events noted above, Minister Sajjan’s program at the UNGA included:

    • an event about the importance of comprehensive sexuality education for healthy schools, which Minister Sajjan co-hosted
    • a panel discussion hosted by the Global Partnership for Education and the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo
    • a round-table meeting of climate and development ministers, which Minister Sajjan attended with the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
    • a high-level meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, which Canada co-chairs
    • an event on ending child marriage, which Canada co-chaired with Zambia
    • a lead group meeting for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement
    • a high-level meeting on the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries

  • Minister Sajjan held bilateral meetings with a variety of ministers and partners, including:

    • Vicky Ford, United Kingdom Minister of State for Development
    • Qu Dongyu, Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN
    • Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union Commission 
    • Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund
    • Achim Steiner, UN Development Programme Administrator
    • Sima Sami Iskandar Bahous, Executive Director of UN Women

  • Since the Charlevoix Declaration in 2018, Canada and its partners have funded 500 education projects for 4 million girls in over 100 countries

  • The MIRPS Support Platform is composed of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, the European Union, France, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, the United States, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Organization of American States and the UN Refugee Agency. There are seven countries that make up the MIRPS: Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama.

  • Over the past 20 years, 50 million lives have been saved through the Global Fund partnership. Canada’s contribution will support the Global Fund in saving 20 million more lives

  • The $78.3 million in core funding for UN agencies includes:

    • $40 million for the United Nations Development Programme
    • $16.2 million for UNICEF
    • $15.6 million for United Nations Population Fund
    • $6.5 million for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women)

  • During an event chaired by Prime Minister Trudeau on September 21, 2022, Canada announced a $20-million contribution to the Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Post-Earthquake Reconstruction Efforts in Haiti. The funding will support the rehabilitation of schools to strengthen social protection and the resilience of vulnerable children and communities, in alignment with the Government of Haiti’s earthquake recovery plan.

Associated links

Contacts

Haley Hodgson
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Development
Haley.Hodgson@international.gc.ca

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