Thank you very much.
I would like to come back to the issue that is the primary reason for our being here today, and that is the partnership with Africa. Africa is undergoing tremendous integration, consolidation and development. Development assistance is not the only focus of our effort today. That is not the purpose of our meeting with you.
We are proposing that our Canadian friends engage in development because, without economic and social development in Africa, development assistance will continue to be a problem. As we saw earlier, if that happens, poverty will continue for more than a century. Our appeal is really for there to be a partnership. Other partners, including China, India and the European Union, have heard that call.
In 2007, an important summit was held in Lisbon at which Africa and the European Union developed the framework for a new partnership between Europe and Africa. We laid the foundations for a significant and beneficial partnership between Japan and Africa. Today, we are calling on Canada to position itself as well. We would not like to see it have less of a presence in Africa, to the point where we would one day be wondering where Canada had gone. We do not want to reach that point. We are accredited ambassadors here in Ottawa. We defend Canada and Canadian interests in our countries, on our continent, but we also defend our own interests. We would like to see the establishment of a multisector comprehensive partnership between equals at a summit meeting between Africa and Canada. We could meet on a yearly basis, every two years, or at whatever interval you deem appropriate, but we do want to have a discussion with Canadians at the political, economic, social and cultural levels in order to study the idea of a major partnership, which would allow us to reach the level we are aiming for.
Yesterday in Toronto, I attended a conference organized by Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters. That important conference is held every year with a view to assessing Canada's economic and trade relations. What I am seeing jibes with the impression we have here as an African group—namely that, both politically and economically, Africa is simply not on Canada's radar. There is nothing dealing with Africa in Canadian policy.
Yesterday, I made a number of comments to Canadian entrepreneurs and business people who were debating their problems with the United States. The theme of the conference was Buy American. Of course, the Canadians were discussing and reviewing the issue of their economic relations with the United States. I told them that we have the same problem with Canada and that we would like to talk about it, just the way they were having that discussion about the United States. We would really like to see our Canadian partner seize the opportunities that Africa has to offer. Africa is truly a continent of hope, a continent of the future. Canada has an excellent reputation, and has plenty of means and possibilities. Why not develop and achieve significant progress together?
So, we are really making an appeal to you. We are not here to criticize the government or any other Canadian entity. We are inviting all Canadians and all the political and economic forces in Canada to establish a partnership with Africa. I am talking about Africa as a whole, because there is the Africa that is developing, the Africa that needs help, and the emerging Africa. Some countries, such as Tunisia, which is an emerging country, deserve Canada's support. I wanted to pass that message along, because it is a much broader question than just development assistance.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
