Policy Updates

On December 17, 2024, the global campaign for assistance and development transparency, Publish What You Fund, released the report Commitments Without Accountability, which compares leading donors' commitments to locally led development, enabling effictive tracking and reporting on implementation.

The study focused on the extent to which donors had increased direct funding to local organizations. Of the five donors, including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, USAID, GAC, the Netherlands' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the UK’s FCDO, only USAID had the strategies, policies, comprehensive targets, and measurable public data to track its direct funding target.

The analysis created a Local Funding Matrix which looked at definitions, measurement, strategy, and policy to compare these 5 OECD DAC donors. Only USAID fulfilled all of the criteria; Australia has progressed in developing strategies, policies, and establishing a definition of local.

This work builds on Publish What You Fund's Metrics Matter series which tracked USAID 's progress towards its own 25% target by 2025, of which USAID is currently off track to meet. A third Metrics Matter report will be released in the spring of 2025, which will include all 5 donors.

On December 9, 2024, Canada announced over CAD88 million (US$62 million) in funding over the next three years to the UN CERF, ahead of the high-level pledging event.

The funding aims to address the unprecedented global humanitarian needs, with an estimated 300 million people worldwide requiring emergency food, water, medical, sanitation, and protection services.

On November 29, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced that Canada will provide CAD50 million (US$36 million) in further humanitarian assistance to address the urgent needs of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

The funding will support the UN, Red Cross, and experienced NGO partners to deliver emergency medical assistance, food, water, protection services, and other life-saving assistance.

Canada has allocated a total of CAD215 million (US$154 million) in ODA to the current crisis in Gaza, including this pledge.

On November 19, 2024, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau concluded his participation at the G20 Leaders Summit where he announced over CAD68 million (US$49 million) in new investments to address organized crime and drug smuggling, as well as support climate action and protection for women and girls.

Funding included:

• Nearly CAD24 million (US$17 million) to stop drug and human trafficking into Canada, increase collaboration with international security organizations, and enhance the capacities of airports in Latin America and the Caribbean to prevent the shipment of illicit drugs;
• Over CAD25 million (US$18 million) to help restore global biodiversity, support measures to alleviate malnutrition, work with farmers in climate-stressed regions, and enhance food security; and
• Over CAD19 million (US$14 million) to support women and girls in Latin America by preventing discrimination and GBV and encouraging women’s participation in conservation, land and water resource management, and improved health services for at-risk women, including Indigenous women.

Trudeau also secured Canada’s participation in two key global partnerships - the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty and the Global Clean Power Alliance. Throughout the summit, Trudeau also participated in various G20 working sessions to advance progress on global peace and security, focusing on Ukraine and the Middle East.

On November 15, 2024, Canada announced nearly CAD13 million (US$9 million) for the Building Climate Resilience from Indigenous Perspectives project, which aims to support climate resilience and Indigenous-led climate action projects in Bolivia, Colombia, Guatemala, and Peru in partnership with First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples in Canada.

The project is a partnership between the BCAFN and Save the Children Canada, the ONAMIAP, and the ECMIA Sur.

The funding will help advance nature-based solutions for climate change adaptation by strengthening climate governance in Indigenous communities and creating space for knowledge sharing.

On November 12, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced CAD35 million (US$25 million) to support gender equality and women’s empowerment initiatives across Africa.

The funding supports a range of projects to strengthen gender equality, human rights, supporting women’s leadership, and improving access to essential services, with an emphasis on collaboration with local organizations and communities to ensure sustainable and culturally appropriate solutions.

Funding announcements included:

• CAD12 million (US$9 million) for World Vision Canada’s RESILIENT-WE: Reducing Environmental Shocks in Ethiopia to improve health and livelihoods for 56,000 people, mainly women, in the Oromia region by addressing climate resilience and GBV;
• CAD10 million (US$7 million) to UN Women’s Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women;
• CAD6 million (US$4 million) to Gender Links Renewed Women's Voice and Leadership project to support approximately 50 women’s rights organizations and LGBTQI+s groups in South Africa;
• CAD5 million (US$4 million) to the UN Somalia Joint Fund’s Supporting the Rights of Women and Girls in Somalia project to build inclusive public institutions to protect human rights, with an emphasis on women and girls; and
• CAD2 million (US$1 million) to Emmanuel Relief and Rehabilitation International of Canada’s Titukule Azimai (Empower Women) project to support survivors of GBV in Malawi.

On November 7, 2024, Canada announced a total of CAD231 million (US$166 million) to support a series of flagship initiatives for peace and security in Africa, as well as building stronger and mutually beneficial partnerships by supporting economic empowerment, climate change action, and gender equality.

The funding was announced by Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of International Development, and Minister of International Trade and Economic Development on the margins of the Canada-African Union Commission High-Level Dialogue in Toronto, Ontario.

Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced nearly CAD177 million (US$127 million) in funding to advance women’s and youth’s economic and social empowerment, support climate-change adaptation, and skills enhancement through the following projects:

• Supporting the UPSNJP - CAD75 million (US$54 million);
• Leading on funding the Renewed Women's Voice and Leadership in Crisis- and Conflict-affected Contexts - CAD25 million (US$18 million);
• Advancing women and youth’s economic and social empowerment in Senegal - CAD20 million (US$14 million);
• Backing the Climate Resilience through Empowering Women project - CAD15 million (US$11 million);
• Providing resources to AWBG - CAD14 million (US$10 million);
• Contributing to the United Nations Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Kenya - CAD10 million (US$7 million);
• Contributing to FIRST - CAD10 million (US$7 million);
• Strengthening the South Africa Skills Enhancement Program - CAD5 million (US$4 million); and
• Supporting Morocco's WESE - CAD2 million (US$1 million).

Hussen also announced initiatives to strengthening partnership to reduce poverty, provide humanitarian assistance, support economic development, and empowering youth by:

• Creating a new Africa trade and development program at GAC which will support development initiatives that contribute to food security, job creation, gender equality, and environmental sustainability; and
• Enhancing and expanding education and skills training programming to harness economic empowerment.

Additionally, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly announced CAD54 million (US$39 million) in funding for flagship initiatives and projects in the following key focus areas: peace and security, good governance, strengthened people-to-people ties, and enhancing Canada’s diplomatic footprint. This includes by:

• Supporting youth and women in peace processes;
• Supporting community-led conflict-prevention in Darfur and civilian-led political process throughout Sudan;
• Investing in counterterrorism capacity and threat resilience;
• Working to prevent violent extremism and support SGBV;
• Naming a Special Envoy for Africa and for the Sahel; and
• Formalizing Canada’s relationship with the AU Commission through a new memorandum of understanding.

On November 6, 2024, Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced CAD10 million (US$7 million) to support industry-relevant skills training for young people in Egypt’s agribusiness sector.

The funding will support CICan to work with local partners and the Egyptian Ministry of Education and Technical Education to support over 20,000 students with technical training, internships, and career counselling. The project will set up an innovative learning hub to help youth gain climate-smart skills and join the agribusiness industry.

On November 4, 2024, Canadian Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen announced over CAD50 million (US$36 million) over the next four years for the UNHCR.

The funding will help the UNHCR respond to the critical humanitarian and protection needs of refugees and other displaced populations around the world in the face of escalating conflicts, persecution, and the effects of climate change.

On October 31, 2024, Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly concluded the Ministerial Conference on the Human Dimension of Ukraine’s 10-Point Peace Formula in Montréal.

As the conference host, she announced the Montréal Pledge, which includes concrete steps to help return Ukrainian prisoners of war, unlawfully detained civilians, and deported children, including support for people’s reintegration into their daily lives.

The conference included foreign ministers and high-level representatives from more than 70 countries and international organizations to advance Ukraine’s 10-Point peace formula, identify diplomatic approaches to address the human dimension of the war, and strengthen the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children.