Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister concludes successful G7 and NATO meetings

News Release

April 6, 2019 – Dinard, France – Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs, concluded her participation in the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which took place on April 5 and 6, 2019, in Dinard, France, following the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on April 3 and 4 in Washington, D.C.

Canada’s NATO allies and its G7 partners recognize that a robust and renewed rules-based international order, reinforced democracies and strong alliances are necessary to ensure a more peaceful and secure world.

In Washington, D.C., the NATO Foreign Ministers’ Meeting marked the 70th anniversary of the founding of NATO, the most successful political-military alliance in history. The Minister underscored Canada’s consistent and resolute commitment to the alliance and the enduring strength of the transatlantic bond among Canada, the United States and Europe.

At the meeting of the G7 foreign ministers in Dinard, France, ministers addressed global peace and security issues, including those related to Venezuela, Ukraine and Russia, North Korea, Libya, and Syria. They also worked together to find ways to combat threats involving cybersecurity, trafficking in persons, terrorism and violent radicalization, including racism, Islamophobia and right-wing extremism.

Throughout their discussions, G7 foreign ministers stressed the importance of protecting and promoting human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment, as well as taking concrete actions to promote international peace and security. To this end, G7 foreign ministers held a productive discussion on women’s role in peace processes, with a particular focus on the Sahel and Africa more broadly.

Ministers committed to continue cooperation on defending democracy, including through the G7 Rapid Response Mechanism established in Toronto last year. In addition, the G7 foreign ministers welcomed the launch of the Elsie Initiative Fund for Uniformed Women in Peace Operations.

The Minister spoke about the importance of media freedom with U.K. Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Amal Clooney, and highlighted the International Conference on Media Freedom to take place in London, England, on July 10 to 11, 2019, that Canada will co-host with the U.K.

During her trip to Washington, D.C., and Dinard, France, the Minister held productive meetings with a number of her ministerial colleagues, including:

• Mike Pompeo, U.S. Secretary of State;
• Jeremy Hunt, U.K. Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs;
• Heiko Maas, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Germany;
• Federica Mogherini, Vice President of the European Commission and High Representative of the European Union;
• Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France;
• Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary;
• Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland;
• Tarō Kōno, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan;
• Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkey; and
• Edgars Rinkēvičs, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia.

The Minister used these meetings as an opportunity to highlight Canada’s steadfast support for a rules-based international order.