Overview

Canada's Commitment
Profile of Africa

Canada's Commitment

Africa certainly faces huge challenges but sub-Saharan Africa is a land with enormous potential. Consequently, Canada has decided to allocate a large potion of its international assistance to Africa.

Canada will strengthen aid effectiveness by focusing on five key areas of intervention that are highly relevant to the African environment and to reaching the Millennium Development Goals for Africa:

• governance
• health (including HIV/AIDS prevention and control)
• basic education
• private sector development, and
• environmental sustainability.

Gender equality remains an essential crosscutting theme.

Canada has made firm commitments towards Africa and has proposed practical initiatives to achieve its objectives:

• The Canada Fund for Africa, which had a $500-million budget, was created to provide practical support for African efforts in the wake of NEPAD. The fund was announced at the 2002 G8 Summit in Kananaskis to support African governance, health, agriculture, environment, trade and investment, new information technology, and youth initiatives. The Fund officially ended on March 31, 2008.

• Canada works closely with African governments, other donors, and multilateral institutions, and can thus better harmonize its efforts in Africa. Canada's assistance takes the form of programs and projects, debt relief, direct financial support for African initiatives or partner governments.
• Support for international funds, and an influential role within the donor community.
• Canadian cooperation promotes values cherished by Canadians. These values include democracy, good governance, peace, and gender equality. Canada promotes these values through various mechanisms, which include support in building the capacities of partner countries.
• The Government of Canada also continues its tradition of working closely with civil society and the private sector in Canada. The Government of Canada supports and mobilizes all available resources to fight poverty in Africa even more effectively.

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Profile of Africa

People often think of Africa as a vast continent of never-ending crises; but sub-Saharan Africa is, above all, a land with enormous potential.

Africa certainly faces huge challenges. Nearly one out of two Africans (mostly women) has only the equivalent of US$1 a day with which to live. Desertification and water shortages affect much of the region. And Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS.

But there are bright spots as well. Africa is increasingly taking control of its destiny, thanks to the efforts of 900 million people in more than 50 countries. More and more governments are democratically elected. Education is more accessible. Substantial progress has been made in preventing disease and controlling desertification, to name only a few areas. The African Union institutions working for regional peace and cooperation, and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) put forward by a group of African leaders, are all shining examples of progress made and yet to come.

The winds of change are blowing in Africa. They are encouraging the international community to contribute to Africa's well-being.