Policy Updates

On September 28, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced that Canada will provide CAD10 million (US$7.4 million) in funding for humanitarian needs in Lebanon.

The funds will go towards providing food, water, emergency healthcare including sexual and reproductive health, protection services and other life-saving assistance to civilians in Lebanon. It comes as a response to the recent escalation of conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, which has increased the need for humanitarian aid in the region.

This funding is in addition to Canada's contribution to the UN CERF, which previously allocated US$10 million in response to the crisis in Lebanon. According to official reports, more than 90,000 people were displaced within Lebanon in September.

On September 26, 2024, Foreign Minister Kamikawa outlined Japan's commitment to the WPS agenda at the WPS Focal Points Network High-Level Side Event in New York.

Kamikawa emphasized that WPS is a key pillar of Japan’s foreign policy and highlighted three key areas of progress: the establishment of a cross-organizational task force to enhance cooperation, the integration of WPS into foreign policy through over 150 diplomatic engagements, and the launch of the WPS and Innovation Policy Forum to strengthen international networks.

Kamikawa acknowledged the significance of the WPS Focal Points Network in fostering global cooperation and sharing best practices. She announced Japan’s intention, along with Norway, to co-chair the WPS Focal Points Network in 2025, coinciding with the 25^th anniversary of UNSC Resolution 1325. Japan will host the Capital-Level Meeting in Tokyo from February 4-6, 2025.

Finally, she emphasized the urgency of advancing WPS in light of ongoing conflicts, such as in Ukraine and Gaza, and highlighted the need to expand women's roles in peace-building, disaster risk reduction, and ensure action plans turn ideas into concrete measures. Japan aims to strengthen international solidarity and accelerate WPS activities in the coming years.

On September 25, 2024, Canada announced that it will be co-hosting the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine's 10-Point Peace Formula on October 30-31, 2024 in coordination with Norway and Ukraine.

The conference will have the aim of developing a concrete plan to strengthen the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children, integrate the Women, Peace and Security perspective into the 10-Point Peace Formula, and identify approaches for post-return rehabilitation and reintegration for Ukrainians.

The conference will bring together Ministers of Foreign Affairs to advance the vision articulated in the Joint Communiqué on a Peace Framework developed at the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in June, 2024.

On September 24, 2024, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced CAD203 million (US$151 million) for SRHR, gender equality, global peace and security, and climate change at the UNGA and the Summit of the Future.

New funding included:

• Over CAD112 million (US$83 million) to help protect the comprehensive SRHR of women and girls worldwide;
• CAD58 million (US$43 million) in projects that empower women and promote gender equality, particularly in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. With this funding, Canada will fulfill its CAD100 million (US$74 million) commitment to address issues in unpaid and paid care work in low- and middle-income countries;
• Over CAD16 million (US$12 million) to support Haiti’s transitional government’s election preparedness, increase humanitarian aid, reduce gang violence, and expand access to justice for women and youth detainees while supporting their reintegration into society;
• Prime Minister Trudeau also convened a High-Level Meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti to strengthen efforts to restore democracy, security, and stability in Haiti.
• CAD9 million (US$7 million) to support the UN’s efforts to strengthen development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding assistance globally.
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) to Canada’s Global Forest Leadership Program to respond to increasing wildfires in the face of climate change and advance international leadership on sustainable forest management.
• Trudeau also welcomed six new members to Canada’s Global Carbon Pricing Challenge, which calls on countries to price carbon to cover 60% of global emissions by 2030; and
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) in new wide-ranging investments to strengthen global peace and security, including on land mine clearance, and protect the rights of Indigenous Peoples, particularly women affected by conflict.

At the UNGA, Prime Minister Trudeau reaffirmed Canada’s support for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, strengthening democratic institutions globally, and defending Ukraine.

On September 22, 2024, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio addressed the UN Summit of the Future in New York CIty, emphasizing focal areas to ensure global peace, freedom, and prosperity.

Kishida's five key target areas included:

• Upholding the rule of law: Kishida emphasized that unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force cannot be tolerated. A free and open international order based on the rule of law is essential for sustainable development and prosperity;
• Defending human dignity: He stressed that human dignity is the foundation for all international cooperation, especially when addressing complex global crises;
• Investing in people: Kishida called for empowering women, children, and youth, announcing Japan's plan to launch a program to nurture future leaders in the field of gender equality, and reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to universal health coverage and quality education;
• Nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation: He expressed Japan’s determination to promote practical efforts toward a world without nuclear weapons, even amid current challenges; and
• UNSC reform: Kishida advocated for the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership categories, calling for concrete actions to reform the UNSC.

On September 20, 2024, Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced CAD151 million (US$111 million) as the latest investment in Canada’s support for GPEI.

The funding comes after an outbreak of polio in Gaza, among other humanitarian crises straining local health systems. With this investment, GPEI and partners like UNICEF and the WHO will deliver polio immunization and health services around the world, especially for the most vulnerable populations, including women and girls in conflict-affected areas.

The investment will focus on stopping the transmission of all forms of poliovirus by vaccinating more than 370 million children annually against polio, improving vaccine uptake and communications activities to support polio vaccination, supporting disease surveillance and containment activities, and strengthening health systems.

On September 18, 2024, the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves gave her backing to the Invest in Women Taskforce, which aims to create one of the world’s largest investment funding pools for female founders.

The task force seeks to establish a funding pool of more than GBP250 million (US$299 million) for female-founded businesses through private capital. Reeves noted that support for women and their contribution to the economy is a personal priority as the UK's first female Chancellor, and she plans to play an active role in steering the Taskforce priorities and objectives by attending its meetings and events.

On International Equal Pay Day, Reeves hosted a reception in partnership with the Fawcett Society. The reception convened a group of female business leaders from across the UK’s foremost growth industries, such as financial services, technology, and the creative sector.

At the reception, Reeves set out her agenda for women in the economy, vowing to improve economic opportunities available to women and close the gender pay gap by strengthening rights at work and investing in childcare.

On September 18, 2024, Canada and Qatar signed an MoU committing the two countries to a collaboration on development programming, focusing on the promotion of good governance, support for women-led solutions, diversity and pluralism, and the protection of human rights.

The MoU also includes a new framework arrangement between GAC and Qatar’s Education Above All Foundation, allowing both parties to collaborate on education projects. This partnership highlights Canada and Qatar’s co-leadership of GenU, a public-private youth partnership hosted by UNICEF.

Among the partnership’s initiatives is Green Rising, which equips young people in over 60 low- and middle-income countries with skills to thrive in the green economy, contributing to the prosperity of their communities.

On September 17, 2024, after months of negotiations, EC President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled her proposed team of Commissioners.

Pending a confirmation hearing by the European Parliament in November, where experts believe some Commissioner-designates are likely to be rejected, and a plenary vote, the new college will be able to begin the new mandate at the earliest in December 2024.

Six Commissioners will have an external component to their portfolio, five will have an ecological focus, and five relate to security in their title.

Among the most relevant for external relations are:

• Jozef Síkela (Czechia, independent): Commissioner for International Partnerships. Síkela is a former investment banker and industry and trade minister. Síkela has been mandated with continuing to focus on Global Gateway. His mission letter tasks him with taking Global Gateway from start-up to scale-up and working in synergy with other programs, namely to secure supply of raw materials and clean tech. Gender equality is singled out as a priority, but no mention of other human development sectors is made.
• Kaja Kallas (Estonia, liberal): High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy. Former Estonian Prime Minister Kallas has been one of the EU's most vocal critics of Russia and a key proponent of both military assistance to Ukraine and a stronger EU defense capability. Her duties include giving a new impetus to the EU’s partnership with Africa and shaping a new foreign economic policy, including via "mutually beneficial partnerships". Kallas has also been tasked to ensure a better link between the EU’s internal and external policies, from climate and energy to digital and food security.
• Hadja Lahbib (Belgium, liberal): Commissioner for Preparedness and Crisis Management, Equality. Labhib is the outgoing Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister and was previously a journalist. The role replaces the current portfolio of humanitarian assistance, covering internal crises as well, and includes a second hat for equality. Her health deliverables include developing a new strategy to support medical countermeasures against health threats. Lahbib will work to develop a Roadmap for Women’s Rights and a new Gender Equality Strategy.

The agreement of the next EU long-term budget will be front and center of the next mandate. Von der Leyen’s priorities are modernization, prioritization, and simplification.

The appointment for the budget is:

• Piotr Serafin (Poland, center-right): Commissioner for Budget, Anti-Fraud, and Administration. Serafin, currently the Polish ambassador to the EU and former chief of staff of Donald Tusk when he was European Council president, also served in the cabinet of former Polish EU Budget Commissioner Janusz Lewandowski. Serafin will report directly to President von der Leyen. His mission letter calls for revamped external action financing that is more targeted and aligned with Europe’s strategic interests.

Among the most relevant for climate, food, and agriculture are:

• Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Spain, center-left): Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. As the Spanish Vice President and Minister for Ecological Transition, her position combines the roles of competition chief, net-zero architect, and economic transformer. Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s report on competitiveness is expected to serve as her blueprint as she leads the development of a Clean Industrial Deal and ensures the European Green Deal stays on track.
• Wopke Hoekstra (the Netherlands, center-right): Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero and Clean Growth. Hoekstra has been confirmed in the role with a revamped portfolio that now includes climate and taxation. He will focus on a clean industrial strategy, decarbonization and emissions reduction, while ensuring a fair transition. The international dimension will center on clean trade and investment partnerships.
• Christophe Hansen (Luxembourg, center-right): Commissioner for Agriculture and Food. As an MEP, Hansen worked on environmental and trade issues. His new role will involve strengthening the competitiveness, resilience, and sustainability of agriculture, and he will prepare a 100-day Vision for Agriculture and Food.

The appointments for health and preparedness are:

• Roxana Mînzatu (Romania, center-left): Executive Vice-President for People, Skills, and Preparedness. Minzatu is a cohesion funds expert who served as an MEP and Minister for European Funds. Her mission statement includes advancing a Union of Equality, a Union of Skills, and fostering a new culture of preparedness to help people adapt to changes and risks, particularly in the face of health and security crises.
• Olivér Várhelyi (Hungary, far right): Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare. Várhelyi, who is currently responsible for the Neighborhood and Enlargement portfolio, was handed the health and animal welfare role. He is a controversial figure due to breaking ranks with the EC to follow Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. His mission statement includes completing the European Health Union, but food safety has been stripped of his portfolio. He will head DG SANTE and HERA. On health preparedness, he will report to the Executive Vice-President for People, Skills, and Preparedness.

In her mission statement, von der Leyen states that R&I, science, and technology must be put at the heart of the EU’s economy, which entails more investments and cooperation.

The appointment for R&I and R&D is:

• Ekaterina Zaharieva (Bulgaria, center-right): Commissioner for Startups, Research, and Innovation. Zaharieva is a lawyer and previously served as Bulgaria's foreign affairs minister after serving several other ministerial posts. Her deliverables include reinforcing international research and innovation cooperation and seeking synergies through Global Gateway. Zaharieva's revamped portfolio does not include education, which will be the responsibility of the Executive Vice President for people, skills, and preparedness, but extends to start-ups, a first for any commissioner.

On September 17, 2024, Sweden announced a reduction in its ODA budget as part of the autumn budget proposition, marking a shift in the country's long-standing commitment to international development assistance.

Newly appointed Minister for International Development Cooperation Benjamin Dousa revealed that the annual ODA allocation will drop from SEK56 billion (US$5.4 billion) to SEK53 billion (US$5.1 billion) between 2026-2028. This represents a cut of SEK3 billion (US$291 million) per year compared to the 2023-2025 budget.

Dousa stated that Sweden is undergoing a restructuring process that focuses on efficiency to areas most in need. However, he declined to specify which areas of foreign assistance would face the most significant cuts.

The early announcement aims to give Sida time to adjust their priorities and operations.

Justifying the decision, Dousa pointed to pressing domestic challenges citing needs in policing, defense, and welfare services that could benefit from the redirected funds.

This reduction aligns with the government's earlier decision, made in partnership with the Sweden Democrats, to abandon Sweden's long-held goal of allocating 1% of its GNI to ODA.

Dousa acknowledged the difficulties in reaching a consensus among the four coalition parties but stressed their united front in making tough decisions. He assured that Ukraine would continue to be the largest recipient of Swedish assistance, underscoring the country's commitment to supporting nations in crisis.