Suva, January 21 – The Minister for Youth and Sports Hon. Laisenia Tuitubou and senior management of the Ministry today met with the Counsellor of the High Commission of Canada, Mr Christian DesRoches.

The Counsellor informed Minister Tuitubou of the existing youth development programs the High Commission of Canada was engaged in here in Fiji as they were actively involved with Transparency International.

According to Mr DesRoches, today’s meeting was to initiate engagement between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Canadian High Commission to see the overall holistic development of youth and sports in the country.

The discussions also concentrated on how the Canadian High Commission could further strengthen youth development in the country by offering their resources to enhance the work of youth development and growth, an area in which they were committed to.

The Counsellor also elaborated that with the Protection of Children and Youth being one of the five thematic areas of development assistance available with the Canadian Aid Fund, it would be one of the key areas the Ministry and the High Commission of Canada could collaborate in to realize the full development of youths in the country.

Also central to the discussions was the possibility of the Canadian High Commission offering assistance to the Ministry in its implementation of the Duke of Edinburgh International Award.