The below is attributable to Spokesperson Rebecca Chalif:
Today, Administrator Samantha Power met with Canada’s Minister of International Development Harjit Sajjan to discuss humanitarian crises and development responses in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Ethiopia, cooperation on gender equality and the care economy agenda.
Administrator Power and Minister Sajjan discussed the need for greater support for internally displaced persons in Ukraine as well as those fleeing to other European countries, and the importance of prioritizing and expediting the delivery of aid to areas facing dire need. Administrator Power noted the need to increase investment in resilience efforts to help mitigate second order impacts of the Kremlin’s war on Ukraine, including major shocks to global food security and nutrition.
The Administrator and Minister Sajjan discussed the United States and Canada’s joint commitment to addressing complex challenges in Afghanistan, particularly around girls’ education, and the ongoing challenges of humanitarian access in Tigray. Both the Administrator and Minister Sajjan expressed their commitment to ensuring gender equity and equality in their bilateral programming and in cooperation with multilateral organizations.