August 19, 2005
No. 153
Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec
and Minister responsible for La Francophonie Jacques Saada announced today that
Canada’s Ambassador to France, Claude Laverdure, will represent Canada at the
special session of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie.
The Council will meet in Paris on August 23, 2005, to examine the situation in
Mauritania, in accordance with Chapter 5 of the Bamako Declaration. The Declaration,
adopted in 2000, has become the normative text of La Francophonie on good
governance and human rights.
“In convening a special session of the Permanent Council of La Francophonie, the
Secretary General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Abdou Diouf,
is confirming La Francophonie’s commitment to democracy and human rights,” stated
Minister Saada.
At the session, the Permanent Council of La Francophonie will study the situation in
Mauritania and decide on measures the International Organization of La Francophonie
may adopt in the wake of events that occurred in that country on August 3, 2005.
On August 3, a virtually violence-free coup orchestrated by the Military Council for
Justice and Democracy (CMJD) overthrew President Maaouya Ould Taya. Much of the
international community, including the African Union, condemned the coup. Canada
has made known its disapproval of the use of force to change the government in
Mauritania and would like to see a return to constitutional order, democracy and respect
for human rights and Mauritania’s international commitments.
Canada is closely monitoring the situation in Mauritania. The Canadian Ambassador
accredited to Mauritania, Carmen Sylvain, will travel to Mauritania’s capital, Nouakchott,
on August 21, 2005, where she will meet with members of the government and
representatives of Mauritanian civil society.
Canadians are still advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Mauritania for the time
being. If they have not already done so, Canadians in Mauritania should contact the
Canadian Embassy in Rabat, Morocco, at (011-212) 37-68-74-00. Country Travel
Reports on Mauritania are available on-line at
http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en.asp?country=180000.
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For further information, media representatives may contact:
Daniel Dezainde
Director of Communications
Office of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions
of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie
(613) 944-1291
(514) 496-1282
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs Canada
(613) 995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
