Canada's Ambassador André François Giroux Honored at End of Haiti Mission

Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé paid tribute Friday to Canada's ambassador to Haiti, André François Giroux, on the occasion of the end of his two-year mission, according to Le Nouvelliste. The ceremony was held in Port-au-Prince in the presence of Foreign Affairs Minister Raina Forbin, members of the government and representatives of the diplomatic corps. On this occasion, government authorities saluted the Canadian diplomat's engagement and reaffirmed their willingness to continue cooperation with Ottawa, notably on security, institutional strengthening and the electoral process, the outlet reported. In an interview with Le Nouvelliste, Giroux said he was proud to conclude his mission with a sense of duty accomplished. "I am proud to say that I leave with the sense of duty accomplished," he stated, adding that he had arrived with a mandate to implement significant Canadian commitments announced a few months before he took office. "It is not easy to spend 100 million dollars responsibly," he said. Giroux, who has been named Canada's ambassador to the OAS, had previously noted the challenges of deploying a 5,000-person mission, per the outlet.