Foreign Minister Joly said thousands of people have lost their lives in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon, including many Canadians.
“It is an unjustified war, against human dignity.” He said that the conspiracies of all parties should be stopped. The path to peace and survival must be smoothed. There can be no war in Lebanon.
He said UN Security Council resolutions need to be respected and Israel and Lebanon must agree to an immediate ceasefire.
“Families in southern Lebanon and families in northern Israel should be able to return home safely. We have insisted and will always insist that civilians must be protected wherever they are.”
Referring to Haiti, the Canadian foreign minister said that the common people there are suffering and the world cannot sit idly by.
“Criminal violence and rampant corruption in Haiti have decimated the population.” He noted that Canada has invested more than $100 million in aid to civilians in Haiti.
Melania Jolie said on the Ukraine war that the country’s citizens have a right to be free from fear and aggression and that Russia must leave Ukraine.
He said, many countries located in the region fear that after Ukraine, they may also face this challenge.
“Canada will never waver in its support of Ukraine.” He announced a joint conference with Norway and Ukraine, which would build on the humanitarian aspect of Ukraine’s 10-point peace proposal.
“We will focus on the return of children to their families and displaced civilians and prisoners of war.” The Canadian diplomat said that the resolutions passed by the UN Security Council must be respected.
Melanie Jolie said, in the last 80 years, no woman has held the position of Secretary General of the United Nations. “This is unacceptable.”
She said that last week, she and the Jamaican leader welcomed 15 female foreign ministers from almost every corner of the world to Toronto.
“Our views are clear. A woman has to be the new leader of this wonderful organization. The time has come to respectfully say from this platform and to the world: Madam Secretary-General.”