The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador James Christoff has commended Plan International for supporting the rights of girls and women in Nigeria.
Christoff disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit on the Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, Mr. Charles Usie.
The Canadian envoy, who is new in the country, said the purpose of the visit was to further strengthen the existing relationship between Canada and Plan International Nigeria toward the shared goal and commitment of his country and Plan International to advancing the rights of girls and women.
Responding, the Country Director of Plan International, Usie, said the Global Affairs Canada (GAC), the department responsible for International development and Humanitarian assistance of Canada was the first major donor to support Plan International Nigeria after it commenced operations in Nigeria in 2014.
Usie said the Global Affairs Canada remained one of Plan International Nigeria’s leading donors till date both in development and humanitarian response.
He therefore expressed his appreciation of the humility shown by Ambassador Christoff.
“Traditionally, organisations and individuals visit ambassadors in their offices but this is different. You chose to visit us in our office and for this we are eternally grateful to the government and people of Canada,” he said
The ambassador met with senior management staff, project implementation teams and young girls from the Girls Get Equal (GGE) campaign of Plan International amongst others.
The visit also featured conversation on the role Plan International Nigeria is playing in policy influencing, at country and regional level through the ECOWAS as it relates to early child marriage, girls’ child education and other girls’ rights.
Global Affairs Canada has supported Plan International Nigeria in provision of funding support for some of its key projects in Nigeria.
These include Strengthening Health Outcomes for Women and Children (SHOW) a multi-country project which was implemented in Sokoto state from 2016 to 2022, the Bauchi Opportunities for Responsive Neonatal and Maternal Health (BORN) project in Bauchi state (2016-2022) and three other projects focused on access to quality education by adolescent girls and boys in the Northeast states of Yobe and Borno.
