Policy Updates

On July 16, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced CAD41 million (US$30 million) in funding to Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, including CAD36 million (US$26 million) in development funding and more than CAD5 million (US$4 million) in humanitarian funding to support gender equality, economic empowerment, reproductive health, family planning, and health services.

The funding included:

• CAD11 million (US$8 million) to the Sabores de Honduras: Empowering Women and Youths in Coffee and Honey Value Chains project;
• CAD6 million (US$4 million) to the Tula Foundation’s Empowering Indigenous Adolescents and Women for Equitable SRHR in Guatemala project to reduce the rates of teenage pregnancy and maternal mortality among the Indigenous population;
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) for the Inclusive Economic Development project to increase the economic empowerment of women and youths in Guatemala;
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) for the Justice, Governance and Fight Against Impunity in Honduras project to increase access to justice for women and other vulnerable populations;
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) for the Improving Livestock Sustainability and Climate Adaptation project to empower members of cattle ranching families, particularly women, youths, and Indigenous Peoples;
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) for the Feminist Partnerships to Strengthen the Agenda for Gender Equality project to improve responses to threats against women’s rights and gender equality, particularly in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras; and
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) in humanitarian assistance to provide emergency food assistance, health, and protection services to the most vulnerable people in the region.

On June 26, 2024, Canada announced CAD19 million (US$14 million) in total funding to support Haiti, including an additional CAD6 million (US$4 million) to the UN Trust Fund for the MSS mission in Haiti as well as nearly CAD13 million (US$9 million) to support three projects to strengthen the Haitian National Police and improve security conditions for civilians.

Canada’s support to the MSS is in addition to the nearly CAD81 million (US$59 million) announced for the Trust Fund in February 2024. Canada is also working to provide training to officers being deployed and to establish mechanisms to prevent human rights abuses, including SGBV.

The three projects that will help strengthen the Haitian National Police and improve security conditions for Haitian civilians were listed as:

• CAD5 million (US$4 million) through the Canadian Commercial Corporation to support the Specialized Tactical Training Program for the Haitian National Police;
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) for the Organization of American States for its Securing Marine and Land-Based Trade Program in Haiti; and
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) for the UN Office of Drugs and Crime for its Container Control Program in Haiti.

From June 17 to 20, 2024, Canada hosted the 54^th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the CDB and announced more than CAD11 million (US$8 million) in funding for economic development in the Caribbean.

The funding included:

• CAD5 million (US$4 million) to the Inter-American Development Bank for the Compete Caribbean+ project to enhance private sector productivity and foster regional economic growth;
• CAD4 million (US$3 million) to the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica for the Jamaica Urban Solutions for the Environment project to increase climate resilience through gender-responsive and nature-based solutions for urban areas vulnerable to climate hazards; and
• CAD2 million (US$1 million) in top-ups to UNFPA for the program EQUAL SRHR to improve the protection of women and girls in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago, including those who are Venezuelan migrants, by advancing SRHR and protection from GBV.

On June 13 and 16, 2024, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced CAD5 billion (US$3.6 billion) and CAD52 million (US$38 million) at the G7 Summit and the Summit on Peace in Ukraine, respectively, in support of Ukraine.

The CAD5 billion (US$3.6 billion) contribution will contribute to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration Loans for Ukraine. Through the initiative, G7 countries intend to bring forward the revenues from frozen Russian sovereign assets, providing Ukraine with approximately CAD69 billion (US$50 billion).

The CAD52 million (US$38 million) contribution was allocated in support of Ukraine’s recovery and rebuilding efforts. This included:

• CAD20 million (US$15 million) to support Ukraine’s urgent efforts to replace damaged energy equipment and infrastructure; and
• CAD15 million (US$11 million) for civilian services, including:
  • Supporting vulnerable children and youth, and the reintegration of displaced children returning to Ukraine through children protective services;
  • Improving access to justice for survivors of war crimes;
  • Increasing families’ and civil society’s awareness about the missing persons process; and
  • Supporting male survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, including prisoners of war.
• CAD15 million (US$11 million) to help Ukraine's recovery, including:
  • Supporting the IMF to help Ukraine acquire the technical assistance and training needed for economic reforms and eventual accession to the EU;
  • Improving Ukraine’s capacity to safely clear mines and other remnants of war; and
  • Providing Ukraine’s government with technical assistance from Government of Canada experts in the justice and energy sectors.

On June 14, 2024, the second day of the G7 Summit, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced nearly CAD687 million (US$501 million) to strengthen sustainable agricultural, climate resiliency, and foster gender equality in low- and middle-income countries.

Within the funding was CAD200 million (US$146 million) to IFAD, including:

• CAD100 million (US$73 million) to reduce poverty and food insecurity while strengthening climate resilience, with a focus on poor, vulnerable, and rural communities; and
• CAD100 million (US$73 million) as a repayable contribution to IFAD’s Private Sector Financing Programme to support investments in the agricultural sector in low- and middle-income countries, especially in the Americas, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.

Canada also announced new funding for the Indo-Pacific region, which is home to the largest number of climate-vulnerable people in the world. Funding included:

• CAD360 million (US$262 million) in repayable contributions to the ADB to establish the Canadian Climate and Nature Fund for the Private Sector in Asia to mobilize private capital toward inclusive climate change mitigation and adaptation projects; and
• CAD7 million (US$5 million) through the IDRC to build on Canada’s existing partnership with the UK to expand the IDRC’s AI for Development program for responsible AI innovation and capacity building in the Indo-Pacific.

Lastly, Canada announced new funding to advance gender equality and the empowerment of women, girls, and LGBTQI+ people, including:

• CAD100 million (US$73 million) in the International Finance Corporation’s Facility for Gender Equality, Resilience, Opportunity, and Inclusion Worldwide, which is expected to mobilize an estimated CAD470 million (US$342 million) in private capital for investments that empower women and promote gender inclusion; and
• CAD20 million (US$15 million) to TradeMark Africa and the Centre for International Studies and Cooperation to help eliminate the gender-based barriers that prevent women from fully participating in opportunities afforded by the African Continental Free Trade Area.

On June 13, 2024, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau participated in a G7 working session on Africa, climate change, and development as well as a side event on the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, where he announced over CAD1.6 billion (US$1.2 billion) to promote sustainable development and inclusive global clean energy transition.

The announced funding included:

• CAD720 million (US$524 million) over five years for a new concessional finance facility at FinDev Canada to mobilize capital for sustainable development, including from the private sector;
• CAD510 million (US$371 million) in repayable contributions and technical assistance grants to the Inter-American Development Bank Group to establish the Canadian Net Zero and Climate Resilience Accelerator Fund. The funding is intended incentivize private-sector investments that will help economies in Latin America and the Caribbean become less carbon-intensive, more climate-resilient, and more inclusive;
• CAD274 million (US$200 million) to purchase hybrid capital from the World Bank’s International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. This is slated to enable up to CAD1.8 billion (US$1.3 billion) in additional lending to low- and middle-income countries to improve education and health to reduce food insecurity and carbon footprints;
• CAD120 million (US$87 million) in sovereign loans and a CAD7 million (US$5 million) technical assistance grant to South Africa in support of its Just Energy Transition Partnership to transition to secure and affordable clean energy while addressing economic inclusion gaps; and
• CAD45 million (US$33 million) in repayable loans to the Private Infrastructure Development Group to expand financing options for sustainable and gender-inclusive infrastructure in Africa and Asia.

On May 27, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development, Ahmed Hussed announced more than CAD55 million (US$40 million) to address urgent civilian needs in Syria amid the ongoing conflict.

The new funding will address urgent civilian needs in Syria and the region, including providing food, WASH services, protection services including the prevention and response to GBV, and health services including the provision of access to SRH healthcare. Development assistance funding will also be allocated through existing projects in Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon that benefit Syrian refugees and strengthen these countries’ ability to support displaced Syrians.

More than 13 years into the Syrian crisis, over 16 million people, or 70% of the population, urgently require assistance, and nearly 7 million Syrian refugees remain sheltered in neighboring countries. The new funding brings Canada’s total commitment to over CAD147 million (US$108 million) in international assistance funding to Syria and neighboring countries in 2024.

On May 23-25, 2024, the G7 Ministers of Finance met at a summit in Stresa, Italy, where the ministers voiced support for contributions to the IDA, WHO, Gavi, and the Global Fund in the resulting communiqué.

The G7 ministers supported efforts towards a successful 21^st replenishment of the IDA by the end of 2024 through an ambitious policy and financing package. Notably, they did not give a concrete signal that the critical US$100 billion threshold requested by the World Bank will be crossed, nor any indication of the US$120 billion expected by African leaders.

The ministers reaffirmed their dedication to strengthening the governance and finance of the global health architecture and voiced support for refinancing processes of several GHIs, such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the WHO, and the Global Fund, and expressed support for the Pandemic Fund. The communiqué called on the donor community to coordinate efforts and increase investments in global health in line with their capacities to ensure sustainable funding and maximize the impact of available resources.

Following the summit, the C7 pointed out the G7's lack of ambition and financial commitment to international development, including climate adaptation. International civil society organizations criticized the lack of any reference to allocating SDRs to global solidarity.

On May 16, 2014, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen concluded a trip to Ethiopia and Tanzania, where he announced nearly CAD195 million (US$143 million) to several development projects focused on education, SRHR, climate, peace, and security.

The funding included:

• CAD65 million (US$48 million) to UNFPA to implement the Protecting the Dignity and Rights of Women and Girls project in Ethiopia, which will support family planning services and prevention and response to SGBV;
• CAD30 million (US$22 million) to the International Finance Facility for Education to implement a new financing mechanism for global education, which will support lower-middle income countries to fund quality education;
• CAD25 million (US$18 million) to ACELI Africa to implement the Agri - SME Catalytic Financing Mechanism, helping high-impact agricultural SMEs and promoting economic growth and food security;
• CAD21 million (US$15 million) to CARE Canada for the Her Resilience, Our Planet project, which promotes climate-resilient agriculture and supports the empowerment of women to address climate change;
• CAD20 million (US$15 million) to the [[AU] to help implement its 2063 agenda and strategic plan to advance sustainable and inclusive development;
• CAD15 million (US$11 million) to UNICEF’s Improving Adolescent SRHR in Tanzania initiative, to enhance access to gender-responsive SRHR information and services for adolescents; and,
• CAD14 million (US$10 million) to the UNDP’s demobilization and reintegration project in Ethiopia.

On May 14-15, 2024, the C7 summit was held at the UN FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, organized by the Italian Civil Society Coalition that led, coordinated, and moderated the C7 2024 process.

Approximately 400 global representatives took part in the event, as well as international decision-makers, including FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, Italian G7 sherpa Ambassador Elisabetta Belloni, Cardinal, President of the Italian Episcopal Conference, Pope’s envoy for the Russian-Ukrainian conflict Matteo Maria Zuppi, and Director of the UN SDG Action Campaign Marina Ponti.

The official C7 communiqué that listed the international civil society recommendation to the G7’s Leaders around seven key issues was released at the event, which included:

• Economic justice and transformation;
• Climate, energy transformation, and environmental justice;
• Global health;
• Principled humanitarian assistance;
• Peace, common security, and nuclear disarmament;
• Human mobility and migration; and
• Food justice and food systems transformation.