NEWS RELEASES

January 23, 2004 (1:30 p.m. EST) No. 9

CANADA WELCOMES INAUGURATION OF KOFI ANNAN INTERNATIONAL PEACEKEEPING TRAINING CENTRE

Foreign Affairs Minister Bill Graham and International Cooperation Minister Aileen Carroll today welcomed the formal inauguration on Saturday, January 24 of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana. Last year, Canada provided a $3 million contribution to this training centre through the Canada-West Africa Peace Security Initiative, which is one component of the Canada Fund for Africa, established to fulfill commitments made at the G8 meeting in Kananaskis in 2002.

"The Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre is set to become an important centre of excellence for enhancing Africa's capacity to manage conflicts in the region," said Minister Graham. "As a recognized leader in peace support operations, Canada is pleased to support the centre in its early efforts to develop its programs and provide training to civilian and military personnel from West Africa who will participate in complex peace support operations in Africa and elsewhere."

"Peace, stability and good governance are integral building blocks for sustainable development--development that addresses social, economic and environmental security," said Minister Carroll. "The opening of the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre emphasizes the commitment of African countries to work together, and with the international community, for peace and prosperity on the continent."

The Pearson Peacekeeping Centre has been engaged by Canada to partner with the Kofi Annan Centre in its inaugural stages to help develop the curriculum and train a pool of African instructors. The courses offered at the Kofi Annan Centre will help African military and civilian personnel acquire essential skills needed for complex peace support operations today, including logistical planning, the design and implementation of programs to demobilize, disarm and reintegrate combatants, and the management of humanitarian assistance. The role of gender in peace support will be integrated into the training programs.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Isabelle Savard

Director of Communications

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Andrew Graham

Press Secretary

Office of the Minister for International Cooperation

(819) 953-3160

Media Relations Office

Canadian International Development Agency

(819) 953-6534

info@acdi-cida.gc.ca