The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met yesterday with His Excellency Fuad Hussein, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, during his visit to Canada. The ministers met to discuss the shared interests of their two countries, including the promotion of inclusive security, stability and prosperity in Iraq and in the Middle East.
During the meeting, Minister Joly and Minister Hussein exchanged views on the future of Canada-Iraq bilateral relations. Minister Joly shared that Canada's efforts in Iraq will increasingly focus on expanding bilateral trade, including promoting economic opportunities for women, and the protection of human rights. They also discussed the consequences of climate change and how Canada supports Iraq's efforts to tackle climate change and its impacts on the Iraqi people.
The ministers reflected on the considerable progress made in defeating Daesh (the Islamic State) in Iraq and throughout the region. Despite Daesh's recent territorial defeat, the group remains a threat. The ministers exchanged views on the work of the Iraqi security services and the Canadian Armed Forces through the Global Coalition Against Daesh to degrade Daesh's capabilities and eliminate the threat it poses in the region. They also spoke of Canadian Armed Forces work in training the Iraqi security services through NATO Mission Iraq.
Minister Joly announced that the Government of Canada has committed a total of $8.47 million to two projects that will help advance security and stability in Iraq:
- Norwegian People's Aid will receive $2,980,002 in funding for work to clear landmines and explosive remnants of war. The project aims to clear the region of Anbar, Iraq, of explosive hazards in order to facilitate the safe repatriation of internally displaced persons. The project will also educate local communities about the dangers of explosive remnants of war.
- The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) will receive $5,491,936 in funding for a project that will support the Iraqi authorities in combatting drug production and trafficking. The project aims to enhance Iraqi institutional capacity, including by building operational efficiency, refining data collection and analysis, and improving forensics capabilities.
Minister Joly also congratulated Minister Hussein on his government's opening of a new Iraqi consulate in Toronto, which will serve the 40,000 people in the Toronto region with ties to Iraq.
