Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Melanie Joly, is set to tour Eastern Europe, aligning with an initiative to strengthen Canada’s relations with regions facing Russia’s influence. A NATO commitment informs her journey, promising support for democracies tackling Russian interference and misinformation.
Joly’s itinerary includes visits to Slovenia, North Macedonia, and Albania. In Slovenia, she will participate in a discourse about multilateralism at the Bled Strategic Forum. This annual summit grapples with matters of safety and growth within Southeastern Europe.
Moldova and the Ukrainian opposition are lined up for discussion with the minister, both nations currently combatting anti-democratic movements backed by Moscow. These conversations provide an opportunity to engage with regions struggling under the brunt of external, undemocratic influences.
North Macedonia will see Joly engaged with Prime Minister Dimitar Kovacevski and his foremost ministers. Their dialogue is expected to centre around trade and security concerns. Moving onto Albania, meetings with Prime Minister Edi Rama and his cabinet will address fair governance practices and equality concerns.
The journey serves as part of an initiative that Joly launched in May. The initiative called on Global Affairs Canada to cultivate robust engagement channels with the United Nations. It’s worth noting that Albania is currently positioned on a temporary seat at the UN Security Council, soon to be handed over to Slovenia early next year.
Meanwhile, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, being the continent’s most expansive security organization, is chaired by North Macedonia. This organization provides one of the few platforms where predicaments of defence and conflict can be deliberated between Russia and the West.
Joly’s Office underscored the objective of the trip as a mission to learn from the experiences of regional countries and find practical ways to back these partners. They emphasized that all three countries are jointly critical for Canada’s alliances on the continent.
“Our common values, among them the defence of democracy and the pursuit of a rules-based world order, unify us,” a quote attributed to Joly stated.
Joly’s journey is set against a backdrop of North Macedonia’s politically sensitive reforms, as it endeavours to secure membership within the European Union. In addition to changing its name to appease Greece in 2019, the country now faces pressure from Bulgaria to certify ethnic Bulgarians as a recognized community dwelling in North Macedonia – a demand in stark contrast with the standpoint of the conservative parties.
In conclusion, Joly emphasized that Canada stands to enhance interaction with countries grappling with Russian sway, particularly smaller nations. Capitalizing on this strategy, they plan to establish new Canadian embassies in locations like Lithuania and Armenia, despite criticism for shuttering the Canadian International Arctic Centre in Norway.