Ottawa: Harjit Singh Sajjan, Minister of International Development concluded a visit to Ghana and Senegal focused on vaccination efforts against COVID-19, economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic and Canadian development programming in both countries.
Ghana and Senegal were among the first African countries to receive COVID-19 vaccines doses via the COVAX Facility and are regional leaders in setting the foundation for vaccine development and production.While in Ghana, Minister Sajjan met with Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator partners, including UN representatives, to discuss opportunities for a continued pandemic response.
He also met with civil society to discuss how best Canada can promote the human rights of marginalized and vulnerable groups in the country.
The Minister announced $17.5 million to support green climate innovation at Ashesi’s Ghana Climate Innovation Centre and UNIDO to establish a Centre of Excellence for the Circular Economy.
Minister Sajjan also announced more than $83 million in funding to support the ongoing COVID-19 response and critical development and health programming.These contributions will support Ghana and Senegal as they recover from the impacts of the pandemic, strengthen health systems, ensure access to high-quality family planning and sexual and reproductive health care, support better access to nutritious food, promote job creation, stimulate economic growth and advance a greener economy.