More than a dozen Canadian companies eager to invest in post-war Libya accompanied Trade Minister Ed Fast on a trade mission to the oil-rich country over the past three days.
The Libyan economy was all but destroyed by last year’s civil war, which saw armed rebels overthrow dictator Moammar Gadhafi after 40 years of rule.
Canada threw its support behind the rebels, by adopting strict international sanctions on the Gadhafi regime and joining the NATO mission to enforce a no-fly zone.
Now, three months after Gadhafi’s capture and death, Canada is offering the decimated country its help through trade.
“Our government is helping these companies identify opportunities to help Libyans rebuild their economy and build new business partnerships to foster stability, prosperity, and of course contribute to the country’s reconstruction,” said Fast, speaking to reporters from Rome via teleconference.
Representatives from 15 Canadian companies visited Libya during the three-day mission, but Fast would not name any of the companies, citing security concerns.
He did say members of the oil and gas, aerospace, information and communication technologies, construction, transportation and infrastructure industries were present.
“Canadian companies, like the ones joining me on this trade mission, are ready to put this expertise to work in Libya to create jobs and prosperity not only in this country, but also at home in Canada,” he said.
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Canadian companies including oil-giant Suncor and engineering firm SNC Lavalin have been present in Libya for years, but were forced to stop operations during the civil war.
Suncor has yet to restart operations due to security situations in the area of the country they work.
Fast said that shouldn’t deter other companies from exploring trade with Libya.
“As a general comment, I was encouraged by what I heard and what I saw in Libya,” he said. “I believe there is a very sincere intent on the part of the Libyan government to go forward, to build their economy and to provide the right environment in which businesses can flourish.”
The trade mission raised questions about the new regime’s human rights record, recently brought under scrutiny by reports that Gadhafi loyalists are being tortured, killed and raped by their fellow citizens.
Fast said he told members of Libya’s transitional government that Canada expects them to comply with international laws on the treatment of detainees.
“We always let our trading partners know that we will never compromise Canadian values, the essential ones being freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” he said.
Fast’s trip was the second time Canadian businesses visited Libya with a cabinet minister. Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird travelled to Libya in October with executives from Pure Technologies, engineering firm SNC Lavalin, and oil producer Suncor, the last two of which had been operating in Libya under the Gadhafi regime.
Canadian diplomats had arrived in the country a month earlier to help reestablish both political and economic relationships between the two countries.
The federal government extended $10-million to help the government transition to democracy and gather up all the weapons used to overthrow Gadhafi’s regime.
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