Canada and Mexico May Join UN Peacekeeping Mission In Colombia

Canada and Mexico are considering to participate in a United Nations peacekeeping operation meant to monitor the implementation of a pending peace treaty in Colombia that will put an end to an over half-century-old armed conflict, informed Mexican officials Monday.

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Mexico’s undersecretary for North America Paulo Carreno King said he discussed with senior Canadian officials

“Canada is the father of peacekeeping and this government is interested in reactivating their participation in peacekeeping operations,” Mr. Carreno said in an interview with The Globe and Mail. “Colombia is a place where we just signed to be more active in peacekeeping operations.”

Honduras and Guatemala – among the world’s most dangerous countries – are also possible places where Canada and Mexico could conduct joint UN peacekeeping operations, he said. Drug-related violence is one of the main factors driving mass migration from Central America.

Renee Filiatrault, the communications director for Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan, did not detail which specific missions were discussed, but said Canada was looking at various options for peacekeeping.

“We have made a commitment to increase support for UN peacekeeping and we are currently consulting with the United Nations, regional organizations and allies to inform and assess were it might be best suited,” she said.

Carreno was in Ottawa to help plan for the state visit by Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto, which will take place days before U.S. President Barack Obama arrives for the North American Leaders’ summit on June 29.

Carreno said he expected Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will soon rescind a visa requirement for Mexicans, imposed in 2009 by the former Conservative government to stem a spike in refugee claims.

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In return, Mexico will share security and background information on Mexicans traveling to Canada, similar to what is done between Canada and the United States.

“What the Mexican government will do is to help them by providing all the information that is necessary and the co-operation that they need,” Carreno said.

More than 1.7 million Canadians traveled to Mexico in 2015 compared to 180,000 Mexicans visiting Canada. When the visa requirement is lifted, Carreno said he expected “we can at least double those numbers, if not more.”