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By IBTimes Staff Reporter: Subscribe to IBTimes's RSS feed | January 30, 2013 10:33 AM GMT
Canada Tuesday pledged to donate $13 million humanitarian aid to Mali but didn't show any sign of commitment to join the allies in offering money for a multinational African force.
According to the Vancouver Sun, the $13-million aid appeared to be separate from the more than $450 million contributed by donors at the Ethiopian conference for the military campaign against Islamist terrorists in Mali.
In a press release, Minister of International Cooperation Julian Fantino Tuesday said that Canada was increasing its investment in Mali to help improve food security, reduce malnutrition, address emergency healthcare needs and provide other much-needed humanitarian assistance.
"Canada has been a friend of the Malian people," added Minister Fantino in the release.
"Building on Canada's significant investments over the past year, Canada will continue its life-saving work in Mali through humanitarian and development assistance."
The humanitarian aid announcement was made during a high-level international meeting at the African Union Secretariat in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Addressing its House of Commons, Prime Minister Stephen Harper Monday said that Canada would not become directly involved in any combat mission in Mali.
Referring to the special forces of the Canadian military that were deployed in Mali, the prime minister said that the special force was meant to protect the Canadian assets in Mali, including its embassy.
However, Stephen Harper has offered the French the use of Canadian military transport- one C-7 Globemaster aircraft to move troops and equipment into Mali until the middle of February.
Noticing the growing Islamist rebels in Mali in recent time, France and other African countries are allying together to restore peace and security in Mali by countering the Islamist extremists.
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