Juliette Bonkoungou

"Were saying to Canada, China is there. Brazil is there now. India is very strong. Come too, but in an official way. That means having high-level political rapport."

"We cant just have commercial relations, where Canadian firms can come get resources in Africa when at the level of the Canadian state and government theres no policy to go with that interest."

"I enjoy debates, and being a Member of Parliament gives me enormous satisfaction. I regret that the sudden onset of my illness has kept me away from the Chamber at such a crucial time in my countrys history. The rest is not up to me."

"I have had high blood pressure for several years. But I can say that it was a sudden deterioration that was discovered when I accompanied my husband, who was ill at the time, to Paris for treatment."

"Im feeling much better, which is what allowed me to ask the doctors for permission to come see my family and friends, recharge my batteries, clear my head, and go back out. Ive been out of the country since last February, thats about eight months, which is a bit long"

"For us Africans, trade, diplomacy and policy go together. … To say, Our companies will go and get oil and other things, and we dont want to know, that wont work."

"I freely got involved in politics, I dont want to blame this involvement in particular because I know people who have high blood pressure but who have never been involved in politics. However, I note that most people of our generation involved in politics suffer from this illness. Politics is excessive stress, and in the long term it can indeed leave some traces on the body."