Evidence of meeting #98 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was somalia.
A recording is available from Parliament.
4:45 p.m.
NDP
Linda Duncan NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
My final question is on ebola for the DRC.
My understanding is that Canada is going to step up and provide some assistance. Is that additional or is that just redirected aid?
4:45 p.m.
Nicolas Simard
Thank you for the question.
Yes. Minister Bibeau has announced an additional contribution of $2.5 million recently for responding to the crisis. This is with WHO and UNICEF.
Doctors without Borders and the Humanitarian Air Service of the United Nations World Food Program.
So the response has been quite fast. Actually, there was an extremely rapid international mobilization in response to the crisis, to contain it inside the province of Equateur, and to prevent it from spreading. Currently, the WHO has established a national funding plan of $52 million American dollars. It receives 100% funding, which is very rare in humanitarian assistance. Having 100% funding for requests is extremely rare. So there has been a major response.
Another $2.5 million have been added, but international mechanisms were already in place and we have used them since the beginning of the crisis in order to respond to it.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Nault
Thank you, Ms. Duncan.
Colleagues, that will wrap up the time.
On behalf of the committee, I want to thank our officials for this good start to a very important discussion. We may take the opportunity to invite you back at some point as we work our way through this, but on behalf of the committee, Mr. Fredette, Ambassador Simard, Mr. Parenteau, and Ms. Greene, thank you very much for your participation here today.
Colleagues, we're going to suspend for a few minutes, and then we'll go in camera and do a little bit of business before the end of the day.
4:45 p.m.
Director General, Southern and Eastern Africa Bureau, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Thank you.
4:45 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Bob Nault
I'll take a few minutes to suspend and ask people to clear the room.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]