Posted on 15 February 2007
Ottawa, February 15, 2007 - The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade today released a report, Overcoming 40 Years of Failure: A New Roadmap for Sub-Saharan Africa, setting down an action plan for improving the standard of living in African countries.
“The decline in sub-Saharan living standards for millions of decent people who want a life of freedom, opportunity – something other than hunger, disease and despair – is a central challenge of our time,” said Senator Hugh Segal, Chair of the Committee. “Failure to come to grips with this challenge will diminish global security, and economic and social viability for vast numbers of people and regions in the world.”
Although the Committee acknowledges the hard work of employees of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), it concludes that the agency has been largely ineffective and its future must be reviewed. The report contends that the organization is hampered by its structure, lack of a formal statute and consistent leadership, and the fact that 81% of its employees work in Ottawa and only 19% actually work in the field. Since its inception in 1968, the agency has spent $12.4 billion in bilateral assistance to sub-Saharan Africa, with few notable or lasting results. In addition to its recommendations on international development, the report also focuses on other priorities, including corruption, job creation, small business and agriculture, and taking the lead on treatment for HIV/AIDS.
The report recommends that the Government of Canada create an Africa Office, comprising aid, trade, security and foreign affairs staff with a principal mandate of achieving economic development in Africa. At least 80% of Africa Office staff, resources, and financial decision-making authority should be decentralized to the field.
Addressing one of the most daunting obstacles to achieving economic growth in Africa, Deputy Chair Peter Stollery said, “We take security seriously in the Middle East and eastern and central Europe, but we do not seem to care one wit about security in Africa. We need to do everything we can to bolster the capacity of the African Union to address security threats, potential genocidal or ethnic cleansing risks and events, and provide logistical, technical and ‘boots on the ground’ support sought by engaged African partners.”
Between 1989 and 2002, two-thirds of African countries experienced serious armed conflict. Since the 1990s, some six million Africans have been killed, over 15 million others have been displaced and there have been an additional 4.5 million refugees.
In its examination of building trade and investment opportunities, the report identifies African agriculture as the best hope for short- and medium-term employment, as well as for economic gains for much of the sub-Saharan population. Canada is committed to the reengagement of the World Trade Organization’s Doha round of trade negotiations, and has an opportunity to push this as an integral part of its global foreign policy goals and objectives.
The Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade began its study on Africa in December 2004. Committee members heard testimony from over 400 expert witnesses in Canada, Africa and Europe. In addition, Committee members traveled to Africa to conduct interviews and see conditions in African countries firsthand.
For a full copy of the report, a complete list of recommendations, and the executive summary, please visit:
www.senate-senat.ca/africa.asp. More information about the Committee is available at:
www.senate-senat.ca/foraffetrang.asp.