November 17, 2006 (1:30 p.m. EST)
No. 136

PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY OBHRAI TO REPRESENT GOVERNMENT AT SECOND REGIONAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN

The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced that the Honourable Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, will represent the Government during the Second Regional Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan (RECC), in New Delhi, India, on November 18 and 19, 2006.

“Enhanced regional economic cooperation is important not only to Afghanistan’s progress toward becoming a self-sustaining, prosperous state, but also in promoting regional stability,” said Minister MacKay. “Canada will continue to play an active role in empowering Afghans to foster links with their neighbours.”

The conference will review the implementation of the December 2005 Kabul Declaration on Regional Economic Cooperation. Participants will explore ways to strengthen cooperation in the areas of electricity, transport, trade, investment and agriculture, while promoting capacity building and focusing on regional projects.

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