By Mahamat Ali Mouta

This week-end Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, Minister of International Development and Minister responsible for the Pacific Economic Development Agency of Canada Harjit Singh Sajjan visited Radio Ndarason Internationale’s Chad headquarters, hailing the regional radio network’s work as important for the Lake Chad region.

Canada’s Minister of International Cooperation, Mr Sajjan told RNI in an exclusive interview that he was “very impressed by the work of this radio station and the number of listeners it has reached in the Lake Chad basin”. RNI listener surveys from 2023 indicate that it reaches over 7 million people daily.

Mr Sajjan said that Canada “is following the Lake Chad region very closely and has invested significant funds, particularly in the area of biodiversity”. According to Sajjan, Canada has invested “25 million dollars in the region, strictly on biodiversity”.

Addressing RNI listeners, the minister said: “I was very happy to visit Chad for the first time, but this is not the first time I have visited the region. I’ve been following the situation here very closely. But because of what is happening in Sudan, I wanted to come here personally to send the message that the stability of this region is very important to Canada. My message is that Canada will be there for the most vulnerable people, especially women and girls.

The minister also thanked “Chad for having welcomed so many refugees from different countries and at different times”. He added that Canada is looking forward to greater cooperation with Chad. “At the moment, we are in talks with the government to see what a Chad-Canada Development Cooperation would look like.

The visit to RNI also touched on future cooperation between the Canadian government and the radio. Okapi Consulting Executive Director, David Smith, himself a Canadian, discussed possible Canadian financing for RNI with the minister. Mr Sajjan said: “Our teams will examine and evaluate the needs,”.

Mr Sajjan was accompanied by a strong delegation including the Canadian Ambassador to Cameroon Lorraine Anderson, Mr Antoine Chevrier, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mr Sajjan’s tour took him to Ethiopia, Egypt and Chad. He was accompanied on this tour by Arielle Kayabaga, Member of Parliament for London West.