September 22, 2011
The Honourable Beverley J. Oda, Minister of International Cooperation, concluded a successful trip to the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly, in support of Canada's global leadership on maternal, newborn and child health, as well as on nutrition and the response to the East Africa humanitarian crisis.
"Canada is making a difference in the lives of mothers and children," said Minister Oda. "I am proud of Canada's key role in bringing global attention to the impacts of undernutrition as tragically seen in the Horn of Africa. Canada has long recognized that improving nutrition is a cost-effective development intervention that results in better health, resistance to disease and learning capacity for all children."
During her visit, Minister Oda participated at the High-Level Event on Scaling up Nutrition (SUN) hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, where she highlighted Canada's continued support for nutrition as an integrated part of its food security and child and maternal health programs.
In addition, Minister Oda accompanied Prime Minister Stephen Harper at the "Every Woman Every Child" event, where the Prime Minister reaffirmed Canada's ongoing commitment to fulfilling the goals made under the Muskoka Initiative and announced 31 new projects to help save the lives of mothers, infants and children in Haiti, Africa and Asia. The UN Secretary-General recognized the substantive work accomplished by the UN Commission on Information and Accountability for Women's and Children's Health, under the leadership of Prime Minister Harper and Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
Minister Oda also held bilateral meetings with key partners including Under Secretary-General and Emergency Relief Coordinator Valerie Amos to discuss the humanitarian situation in the Horn of Africa, the Sudans and Pakistan. The Minister had productive and frank discussions with several heads of UN agencies including UNICEF, UNDP, UN Women, WFP, and WHO. She met with Haitian President Michel Martelly to reiterate Canada's ongoing commitment to the people and the Government of Haiti, and with Maria Antonieta de Bogran, Vice-President of Honduras, to explore avenues for enhanced cooperation following Prime Minister Harper's August 2011 visit to Honduras.
For more information on Canada's Maternal, Newborn and Child Health initiatives, please visit CIDA's website.
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Information:
Justin Broekema
Press Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation
Telephone: 819-953-6238
justin.broekema@acdi-cida.gc.ca
Media Relations Office
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
Telephone: 819-953-6534
Email: media@acdi-cida.gc.ca
