The Secretary-General met in Toronto this afternoon with Prime Minister Stephen Harper of Canada and praised his leadership on women’s and children’s health, including as co-chair of the Committee on Accountability and Information. He commended Canada's commitment, made earlier today, of $3.5 billion for women's and children's health during 2015-2020. They discussed strengthening accountability for women’s and children’s health.

The Secretary-General and Prime Minister Harper agreed on the need to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and to work towards a solid set of attainable post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.  Speaking on climate change, the Secretary-General invited Prime Minister Harper to the Climate Summit that will be held at the United Nations on 23 September.

They discussed Ukraine and the need to support the country to resolve the ongoing crisis, as well as to assist with its long-term challenges. They also discussed the continuing Syrian conflict and the critical humanitarian situation. The Secretary-General thanked Canada for its support to humanitarian efforts in Syria and expressed his hope for its continuing contribution. They also discussed recent developments in the Middle East peace process. The Secretary-General pointed to the need for support for the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).