Today, the Honourable Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced that Payam Akhavan, Senior Fellow at Massey College and distinguished visiting professor at the University of Toronto, will join Global Affairs Canada (GAC) as a senior advisor on the department’s ongoing response to the Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 tragedy. This appointment concludes a months-long search to best support the expertise and capacity of the department on this critical file.

“I am pleased to welcome Professor Akhavan to Global Affairs Canada. His wealth of knowledge and expertise will bolster the department’s ongoing efforts to hold Iran accountable for the downing of Flight PS752 and to pursue justice and transparency for the families.”

- Marc Garneau, Minister of Foreign Affairs

• On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 was shot down near Tehran by an Iranian surface-to-air missile, killing 176 people, including 55 Canadian citizens and 30 permanent residents.

• Canada continues to work with international partners to ensure a thorough and credible investigation into this tragedy and to hold Iran accountable for its violations of international law.

• An International Coordination and Response Group to support families of victims of PS752 was formed by Afghanistan, Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom to ensure a full and transparent investigation into the causes of the fatal crash and coordinate legal efforts to hold Iran accountable so that families and loved ones get the answers they deserve.

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Associated links

• Canada’s response to Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 tragedy

Syrine Khoury
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
Syrine.Khoury@international.gc.ca

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