Thank you, Ms. Deschamps.
I did, indeed, represent the entire African group here last May, with a view to making the Committee aware of our concerns and particularly our desire to renew and strengthen our partnership and cooperation with Canada through a certain number of initiatives that we had laid out. As concerns my country, Burkina Faso, in particular, since I have been in Canada, there have been serious threats of closure twice now. The first time, when I first arrived here, I was able, thanks to friends of Burkina and the support of partners, to contact the then political authorities to explain the efforts being made by my country to favourably position itself in Africa, both in terms of democracy and governance promotion, as well as efforts to improve transparency and promotion of sustained and equitable economic development. Based on those explanations, the embassy was maintained.
When there was a change of government, the same arguments came forward with respect to the closure. I began another round of visits and had the privilege, at the time, of meeting with the former Minister, Maxime Bernier. I explained the situation in my country, emphasizing the fact that Burkina Faso is currently the main source of stability in Western Africa. Despite its modest means, as the Minister stated, Burkina Faso is making huge efforts to secure peace in the sub-region, and we believe that Canada's signal is an encouragement to those countries that are currently making an effort, our hope being that those who are doing less will fall in line with those who are putting their all into this.
We really did not understand why Burkina Faso had been relegated to the sidelines particularly because, based on the Human Development Index, we certainly were not in a very good position. We understood that it was this indicator and the fight against poverty that were guiding the desire to establish partnerships. My message was heard, and the embassy was maintained.
I thank Mr. Bernier and the Canadian government, but we are seeking reassurance that this is very much part of the past and that there is an understanding that we cannot do business at a certain level without the appropriate diplomatic support.
As the Minister has probably pointed out, Canada is now the leading private direct foreign investor in our country, with some $800 million in investments each year. Burkina Faso is Canada's third largest mining partner after South Africa and Ghana. We believe the scope of our trade relations and the efforts that are currently being made by the government and people of Burkina Faso to emerge from underdevelopment, warrant an acceptable level of representation. Furthermore, based on the principles that generally guide diplomacy, the closure of an embassy usually occurs as a result of a deterioration in relations, or a sufficiently significant political or diplomatic event that the country decides to close its embassy to signal to the other country that things have to be done differently. That is why we see these as very serious decisions, because they can send the wrong signal.
You know—and the Minister has pointed this out—that Canada and Northern European countries are generally seen as the guardians of the temple with respect to good governance, environmental protection and human rights. So, we would not like that signal to give rise to messages that could be harmful to our country. Thank you.