The new Permanent Representative of Canada to UN-HABITAT, Mr. Ross Hynes, on Friday presented his credentials to UN-HABITAT Executive Director, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka. Welcoming the envoy, Mrs. Tibaijuka said that “Canada is the home of UN-HABITAT” as the treaty that led to the formation of the organization was signed in the Canadian city of Vancouver in 1972. The Executive Director recalled that the Third Session of the World Urban Forum was also held in Vancouver in June this year. Mrs. Tibaijuka, paid tribute to Canada for hosting the Third Session of the World Urban Forum in Vancouver in June. She also hailed Canada’s long support for UN-HABITAT’s work and the Water and Sanitation Trust Fund. In response, Mr. Hynes said that Canada would continue supporting UN-HABITAT and that he would work with the Executive Director to further improve the relationship between the agency and Canada. He said that the experience gained from organizing the Third Session of the World Urban Forum in Vancouver would be used the next session to be held in China in 2008. The envoy stated that his country would like to see the lessons learned in Vancouver translated into the activities of UN-HABITAT. Those present at the occasion included the Deputy Permanent Representative of Canada to UN-HABITAT, Mr. Bhupinder S. Liddar. |
