Bilateral Mission to Ethiopia and Rwanda -- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Report of the Canadian Parliamentary Delegation regarding its participation at the Bilateral Mission to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Rwanda Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Kigali, Rwanda March 10 to 16, 2019 REPORT BILATERAL MISSION TO ETHIOPIA AND RWANDA The Canada-Africa Parliamentary Association (the Association) conducted bilateral visits to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Kigali, Rwanda, from 10 to 16 March 2019. The delegation was led by the Association’s Co-Chairs, the Honourable Senator Raynell Andreychuk and Robert Oliphant, M.P., and included the Honourable Senator Jim Munson, the Honourable Senator René Cormier, Pam Damoff, M.P., Greg Fergus, M.P., and Ramez Ayoub, M.P. The delegation was accompanied by Grant McLaughlin, Association Secretary, and Brian Hermon and Offah Obale, Association Advisors. MISSION OBJECTIVES This was the Association’s second bilateral mission to Ethiopia and Rwanda, following initial visits to these countries in 2011 and 2008, respectively. In Ethiopia, the Association’s objectives were the following: · to follow-up on its 2011 mission and to strengthen bilateral relations and parliamentary cooperation; · to engage with parliamentarians on issues related to multi-party democracy, governance, human rights, and the rule of law; · to meet with government officials to further the Association’s understanding of the political and economic reforms being undertaken in the country; · to discuss regional security, including the situations in neighbouring Somalia, Kenya and South Sudan; · to hear about progress toward the implementation of the Ethiopia-Eritrea joint declaration of peace; · to meet with officials at the African Union (AU) to hear about the work of the AU, including with respect to human rights, peace and security, and regional economic integration; · to engage with civil society organizations on issues related to human rights, freedom of the press, and the rule of law; and · to learn about Canada’s development and humanitarian support for Ethiopia.
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