CIDA receives poor report from Canadian Senate

This week, the Canadian Senate delivered a report on the effectiveness of African overseas assistance to Africa. After over 400 interviews for their fact-finding mission, they found that all partners in the development of Africa have failed to improve the conditions of the continent.

From Canada, they recommended the following:

• The Government of Canada must establish a new Africa Office covering everything from aid to trade to security with 80% of staff in the field.
• There must be a review of CIDA to determine whether it should be abolished or improved.
• Concentrate foreign aid on countries in sub-Saharan Africa that are undertaking economic and political reforms.
• Focus aid on economic development and in support of pro-growth and job-creating activities led by the private sector.
• Deliver Canadian bilateral aid to Africa in partnership with the private sector and civil society.
• Review the appropriateness of Canadian food aid to Africa.
• Get Canada to remove virtually all barriers to imports from low income countries in sub-Saharan Africa, have more trade missions to Africa and have more Canadian diplomats with commercial backgrounds in Africa
• Canada should improve visa system to facilitate visits by African business people and political leaders
• Canada must push for more commerical ties with Africa
• Canada should concentrate on helping with health issues especially HIV/AIDS and malaria.