CANADA IS FUNDING EGYPT TO FOSTER DEMOCRACY

OTTAWA , Canada - Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon (right photo) said, Canada is giving almost $11 million to Egypt to help foster democracy in the North African country.He announced the funding Wednesday in Cairo, where he attended meetings with Egypt's new leaders and civil society groups.
Cannon said he told Prime Minister Essam Sharaf and his cabinet that Canada was willing to participate in Egypt's "transition from dictatorship to democracy."

• The money will target opportunities for young Egyptians and help develop democratic institutions in their country and across the broader Middle East.
• The vast majority of the new funds -- $10 million over five years -- will be supplied by the Decent Employment for Youth Project, a Canadian International Development Agency project which trains and helps young people find jobs and start businesses in tourism and manufacturing.

Canada is also joining the German government to help train journalists with a $300,000 contribution to build capacity in Egypt's media sector.
In addition, Canada is contributing $600,000 to a United Nations electoral support program and another $100,000 to aid the democratic transition in neighbouring Tunisia.

Source: CTV..read more..