Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that Canada will double its commitment to the Global Partnership for Education fund.

Speaking in Davos, Switzerland at the World Economic Forum, with global education advocate Malala Yousafzai seated beside him, Trudeau said an additional $180 million will be provided to the fund in 2018-2020.

He said the money will provide support for girlsB次元官网网址� education and help strengthen education in developing countries.

B次元官网网址淎 more peaceful and prosperous world starts with a quality basic education,B次元官网网址� said Trudeau during a panel discussion on the empowerment of girls and women.

B次元官网网址淐anada is committed to making sure young people around the world, especially girls, get the education they deserve.B次元官网网址�

Trudeau added that B次元官网网址渆mpowering the developing world through education is an essential pathway toward success.B次元官网网址�

The prime minister reiterated that gender equality will be a major focus of the upcoming G7 leadersB次元官网网址� summit in Charlevoix, Que.

B次元官网网址淭his year, weB次元官网网址檙e taking a different approach on the G7. Instead of making (gender issues) a specific and important topic, weB次元官网网址檙e making it touch everything we do.B次元官网网址�

Trudeau also reiterated that Melinda Gates and Isabelle Hudon, the Canadian ambassador to France, will serve as co-chairs of the G7 Gender Equality Advisory Council.

B次元官网网址淭heir job is to make sure that everything the G7 does B次元官网网址� all the meetings, all the commitments, all the initiatives that we partner in this year and hopefully into the future, have a gender lens.B次元官网网址�

Canada B次元官网网址� which was a founding member of the GPEB次元官网网址檚 predecessor, the Education for All - Fast Track Initiative, contributed $57.6 million to the GPE from 2011-2014 and $120 million from 2015 until this year.

Yousafzai, a Nobel Peace Prize winner and honorary Canadian citizen who famously survived a Taliban bullet in 2012, visited Ottawa last April and implored Canada to take a global lead in ensuring more girls can go to school during a speech to the House of Commons.

The 19-year-old called on Canada to make girlsB次元官网网址� education a centrepiece of the G7 leadersB次元官网网址� summit to be held in Charlevois, Que., in June.

Trudeau also met early Thursday with James Quincey, the CEO of Coca-Cola, who noted his firm is long-time investor in Canada.

B次元官网网址淲e love the country, and weB次元官网网址檙e going to make more investments,B次元官网网址� said Quincey during a post-meeting photo session with Trudeau.

Quincey B次元官网网址� obviously aware of TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 penchant for descriptive socks B次元官网网址� began the brief session by handing Trudeau a small red gift bag containing socks emblazoned with the Coca Cola logo.

Trudeau also met with Jacob Wallenberg, chairman of Swedish-based Investor AB. Trudeau noted that Ottawa will host the SEB Nordic Conference in March, where Scandinavian investors will look at opportunities in Canada.

The prime minister was also scheduled to meet with Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, and Gianni Rometty, the president of FIFA, the world soccer body.

The Canadian Press

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