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<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">July 30, 2005 <i>(9:10 a.m. EDT)</i></span></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">No. 137</span></span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">CANADA CALLS FOR MOBILIZATION OF </span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-weight: bold">LA FRANCOPHONIE TO HELP NIGER</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt"><span style="font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif"></span></span></p>
<br>
<p>Jacques Saada, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the
Regions of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie, yesterday called for
the Secretary-General of the International Organization of La Francophonie, Abdou
Diouf, to mobilize members of La Francophonie and the international community to help
Niger, a country facing a serious humanitarian crisis.</p>
<br>
<p>“It is equally important to pay particular attention to the needs of the other countries in
the Sahel, which are also suffering from drought and invasions of desert locusts,” wrote
the Minister in a letter to Mr. Diouf.</p>
<br>
<p>Mr. Saada indicated that Canada is prepared to contribute to this increased effort, and
referred to the announcement made yesterday by his colleague from the Canadian
International Development Agency, Minister of International Cooperation Aileen Carroll, that Canada will provide an
additional $1 million to the World Food Program to help fight hunger in Niger.<span> </span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center">- 30 -</p>
<br>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<br>
<br>
<p>Daniel Dezainde</p>
<p>Director of Communications</p>
<p>Office of the Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions
of Quebec and Minister responsible for La Francophonie</p>
<p>(613) 944-1291</p>
<p>(514) 496-1282</p>
<br>
<p>Media Relations Office<span> </span></p>
<p>Foreign Affairs Canada</p>
<p>(613) 995-1874</p>
<p><a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221012952/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></a><span style="color: #000000"></span></p>
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