NEWS RELEASES

June 5, 2000 ( 11:45 a.m. EDT) No. 137

AXWORTHY ANNOUNCES HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING INITIATIVE FOR SECURITY SECTOR IN THE AMERICAS

Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced that the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) will provide up to $150 000 to develop guidelines and best practices for human rights training for security institutions in the Americas. Canada will consult with like-minded countries in Latin America on their participation in the project. Mr. Axworthy made the announcement during the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly, in Windsor, Ontario.

"Reform of the security sector is an important element of the human security agenda, because it has a real impact on the well-being of people", said Minister Axworthy. "An effective, affordable and accountable security sector can help to establish a welcoming environment for social and economic development."

The funding will support a detailed examination of training and technical assistance in human rights and international humanitarian law for security institutions such as the military, police, correctional services and civilian oversight mechanisms. The project will contribute to the development of a practical approach to training, which is appropriate to the cultural context of the Americas. It will establish themes and best practices for training security-sector personnel, and will make these findings freely available in a multilingual format.

The Royal Military College of Canada (RMC) will implement the project. RMC has extensive experience and capability in national and international security issues, as well as credibility in dealing with military personnel, one of the key target groups for training. DFAIT and RMC will seek the advice of human rights and international humanitarian law experts, along with personnel from various security institutions, all of whom will be involved in the development and implementation of the project.

"There is a great deal of expertise in the hemisphere on this topic, which we can harness," said Minister Axworthy. "Canada is committed to developing a regional approach and solutions that fit with the cultures and governments of the Americas."

The OAS is the premier political forum for multilateral dialogue and decision making in the Americas. Foreign ministers from 34 OAS member states are meeting in Windsor from June 4 to 6 to discuss the progress of democracy, the observance of human rights and other issues of importance to the hemisphere.

Funding for this initiative was provided for in the February 2000 budget and is therefore built into the existing fiscal framework.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Debora Brown

Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

(613) 995-1851

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874