© UNICEF/UNI629988/Dejongh

Report to Pargliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2023-2024

ISSN 1926-3945

On this page

• Message from the Secretary of State for International Development and the Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Message from the Minister of Finance and National Revenue
• Executive summary
• Government of Canada’s International Assistance and Official Development Assistance Disbursements by Organization, 2023-2024
• Canadian International Assitance Results
  • Humanitarian action
  • Education
  • Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls
  • Global health and nutrition
  • Inclusive economic growth
  • Climate and environment
  • Inclusive governance
  • Peace and security
• Engagement with international financial institutions
  • Section A: Canada’s engagement in World Bank Group operations
    • Reporting requirements
    • Governance and representation
    • Canada’s financial contributions to the World Bank Group in 2023-2024
    • Objectives and results of Canada’s WBG trust funds
    • World Bank procurement from Canada
    • Communiqués of the Development Committee of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and IMF (as required under the Bretton Woods Act)
  • Section B: Canada’s engagement in International Monetary Fund operations
    • Governance and representation
    • IMF resources, lending, and capacity development
    • Communiqués of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the Board of Governors of the IMF (as required under the Bretton Woods Act)
  • Section C: Canada’s engagement in European Bank for Reconstruction and Development operations
    • Reporting requirements
    • Governance and representation
    • Benefits of EBRD membership

Message from the Secretary of State for International Development and the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Message from the Minister of Finance and National Revenue

Executive summary

The Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance highlights the impact of our international assistance efforts over the past year, including the collective efforts of 抖淫视频 and 21 other federal departments. The Government of Canada appreciates the unwavering collaboration, dedication and service of all its partners delivering this assistance, especially those operating in difficult areas.

In 2023-2024, Canada’s federal departments and agencies disbursed $11.1 billion to more than 3,000 projects. This report provides examples of the results achieved with a focus on the following areas: humanitarian action, education, gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, global health and nutrition, inclusive economic growth, climate and environment, inclusive governance, and peace and security.

You can find more information on the government’s international assistance projects results on the . For the latest evaluation reports on Canada’s international development assistance, we invite you to visit 抖淫视频’s Program and project evaluation.

Working with our partners to build a better world

As one of the founding members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada has been providing official development assistance to developing countries for more than 50 years. In 2023, official development assistance from OECD members rose to an all-time high of more than US$223 billion. Canada was the 6th highest donor, contributing approximately US$8 billion. This funding has adapted to the shifting global development landscape, by addressing rising conflicts, increasing geopolitical tensions, escalating climate impacts, and to mitigate the loss of development gains.

In 2023-2024, Canada’s federal international assistance remained aligned with global agreements on aid effectiveness. This means that Canada’s assistance is aligned with global priorities, emphasizes country ownership, and focuses on results, inclusive partnerships, and transparency and mutual accountability. Our efforts supported the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is now past the halfway point. Despite recent setbacks, the Government of Canada remains committed to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2023-2024, the Canadian government played an important role in promoting global peace, security, and governance through its range of international assistance programs. These include the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program, and Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program, which support conflict prevention, demining, and provide direct assistance to conflict-affected populations in regions such as the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe. By working with other government agencies, the Government of Canada helps build local and regional capacities, counter threats, and support global stability and democracy.

As natural disasters become more prevalent due to climate change, the Government of Canada actively supports those most affected. Last year, more than 7.7 million people benefitted from climate change adaptation initiatives supported by the Canadian government. To help developing countries fight climate change and biodiversity loss, the government hosted the Seventh Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in August 2023. At this Assembly, the government announced its commitment of $241.8 million to the GEF’s eighth replenishment (2022-2026) to support high-impact investments that are driving significant global environmental outcomes. This commitment allowed the GEF to be on track to achieve its 10 environmental results targets. In support of coordinated efforts, the Government of Canada helped launch the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund to strengthen biodiversity management, planning and governance.

Supporting the needs of the most vulnerable

In recent years, the number of conflicts and natural disasters globally has surged by over 80%, significantly expanding the scope, scale and complexity of humanitarian needs. Recent and ongoing conflicts in Gaza, Haiti, Lebanon, Sudan and Ukraine have been devastating, severely impacting both people and infrastructure.

To address this unprecedented need, the Canadian government contributed humanitarian assistance in response to conflicts around the world. In 2024, according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Canada ranked as the 13th largest humanitarian assistance donor globally. The Government of Canada provided about $800 million in humanitarian assistance in 2023-2024, mainly through UN partners, Canadian and International non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This financial support contributed to assisting and protecting over 19 million refugees and internally displaced people globally.

Promoting gender equality and the rights of women and girls

Protecting the rights of women and girls, and empowering them to be agents of change, continued to be a focus throughout 2023-2024. Nearly all of Canada’s bilateral international development assistance targeted or integrated gender equality. The Government of Canada continued to follow through on its 10-Year Commitment (10YC) to advance the health and rights of women and girls around the world. In 2023-2024, under the 10YC, the government provided over $1.48 billion to global health initiatives, including $702 million to projects that are advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights.

The government continued to support women’s rights organizations, which are increasingly having their voices suppressed and access to resources restricted. To counter this, the Canadian government supported over 3,000 of these organizations globally last year, including through the Women’s Voice and Leadership program and the Equality Fund. This support helped to build the capacity of women’s rights organizations in developing countries to come together to address a range of issues including gender-based violence, economic empowerment and political participation.

The Government of Canada also remained committed to ensuring people around the world, including women and girls, have equal access to quality education. In 2023-2024, Canada’s support to the Global Partnership for Education helped 120 million students worldwide access education. This support resulted in 481,000 teachers receiving critical training and more than 6,700 classrooms being renovated or built. The Canadian government continued to implement its $100 million commitment to address inequalities with unpaid and paid care work. This initiative is helping to transform social norms in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia.

Improving the delivery of assistance to partners

Although Canada’s international development efforts in 2023-2024 have helped to improve millions of lives, there is still work to be done. To achieve Canada’s vision for a safer, more prosperous world for all, continued collaboration with Canadian and international partners around the world is essential. The government is working to improve the delivery of assistance to its partners. In September 2023, the Government of Canada launched the Grants and Contributions Transformation Initiative to improve collaboration with our implementing partners. This initiative aims to reduce administrative burdens and improve their access to funding.

For more information on accessing Canada’s international assistance funding, we invite you to visit the Canadian funding for international initiatives.

© UNICEF/UNI701277/Rasnat, Bangladesh, 2024

Government of Canada’s International Assistance and Official Development Assistance Disbursements by Organization, 2023-2024

The Government of Canada disbursed $11.1 billion in international assistance in 2023-2024. In this report, international assistance includes all financial resources and activities provided by the Canadian federal government to support development in other countries, primarily in the developing world, but excludes FinDev Canada’s capitalization. In other reports, international assistance may refer to assistance as support from all levels of government (federal, provincial territorial or municipal) and include FinDev Canada.

The government reports eligible funding as official development assistance to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC) once it is allocated. To be counted as official development assistance funding must be administered with the promotion of the economic development and welfare of developing countries as its main objective. Of the $11.1 billion, official development assistance made up 81% or $9 billion.

Below you will find Canada’s international assistance efforts in 2023-2024 listed by federal government department. The government’s annual Statistical Report on International Assistance provides further details on international assistance and official development assistance expenditures provided by all levels of government.

Credits: © Myanmar Humanitarian Fund, Myanmar, 2024

Canadian international assistance results

Humanitarian action

One in 73 people worldwide were forcibly displaced and 311 million were in need of life-saving assistance and protection according to the 2024 Global Humanitarian Overview. The Canadian government continues to be a leader in the international humanitarian system, delivering timely, needs-based, gender-responsive, and predictable humanitarian assistance where most needed. In calendar year 2024, against rising global humanitarian needs, Canada was the according to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Canada’s humanitarian programming aims at reducing suffering, maintaining human dignity, and saving lives in populations affected by humanitarian crises. To do this, the Government of Canada focused on achieving the following expected outcomes:

• increased access to, and use of, principled, gender-responsive humanitarian assistance and protection by crisis-affected populations, and,
• improved effectiveness, efficiency and gender responsiveness of humanitarian action and protection by humanitarian stakeholders

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested close to $800 million in this action area, all of which all is considered official development assistance. This assistance was mainly channeled through UN partners, Canadian and international NGOs, and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, to respond to humanitarian needs in 134 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of the combined results achieved of several initiatives in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Increasing access to and use of principled, gender-responsive humanitarian assistance and protection by crisis-affected populations

With the support of Canada and other donors, partners delivered life-saving humanitarian assistance and protection to those affected by conflicts and natural disasters. For example, the World Food Programme assisted 152 million people (80.1 million of whom were women and girls) in calendar year 2023. This assistance was delivered through direct food assistance and cash-based transfers, helping to treat and prevent malnutrition and famine. Additionally, the government’s funding helped enable key partners like the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to provide assistance and protection to over 19 million refugees and internally displaced persons in 2023.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada allocated more than $105 million to address humanitarian needs arising from the crisis in Gaza and the West Bank. These funds have allowed partners to respond to urgent needs, assisting 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza and 500,000 people in the West Bank. This assistance helped deliver critical, life-saving supplies and services, such as emergency food, water, health services and protection services, including support to survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. It has contributed to the establishment of a field hospital in Rafah and enabled the Canadian Red Cross to send surgical equipment, medicines, diagnostic equipment and personnel. Through the Humanitarian Coalition Matching Fund, Canadian NGOs leveraged the generosity of Canadians to deliver life-saving assistance to civilians in urgent need. This included emergency food and nutrition assistance, multi-purpose cash, and child protection. They also provided shelter, water, sanitation, and health and medical services.

In calendar year 2023, the Government of Canada worked with partners such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) to address the critical health needs of crisis-affected and vulnerable populations. This enabled MSF to conduct over 2.2 million primary health consultations and provide life-saving sexual and reproductive healthcare to around 70,000 patients in 8 countries. The organization also supported 128 health facilities in underserved, remote and hard-to-reach communities. For example, in response to increased conflict in Sudan in 2023, MSF quickly deployed a modular field hospital. This hospital provided medical care to more than 189,000 refugees. In Bangladesh, MSF was a key provider of comprehensive healthcare services to Rohingya refugees at two hospitals with a total of 172 beds. 

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada continued to provide emergency medical supplies to countries in need through the Public Health Agency of Canada’s . These stockpiles offer surge capacity to Canadian provinces and territories during public health emergencies and to other countries when there is a surplus. For instance, in 2023-2024, the National Emergency Strategic Stockpile donated the following supplies to support Ukraine:

• 180 surplus ventilators to Maple Hope Foundation
• 100 surplus ventilators to Canada-Ukraine Foundation
• 8,240 units of one-time use supplies associated with ventilators such as breathing circuits, suction tubing or ventilator cartridges, delivered through the Department of National Defense

As part of Canada’s contribution to address global refugee crises, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada continued to resettle Afghan nationals in 2023-2024. To date, Canada has welcomed over 54,000 Afghans since the fall of Kabul, exceeding its commitment to welcome 40,000 people. Over half of these were individuals who had closely assisted Canada’s mission in Afghanistan, as well as their families. Canada also welcomed other vulnerable and at-risk groups, including women leaders, human rights defenders, persecuted ethnic and religious groups, journalists, and members of 2SLGBTQI+ communities. While intake has now closed, the Government of Canada continues to process existing eligible applications received under these special measures on a priority basis.

Improving the effectiveness, efficiency and gender responsiveness of humanitarian assistance and protection by humanitarian stakeholders

The Government of Canada contributed $73.9 million (for 2023-2025) to leverage the UN Country-Based Pool Funds (CBPFs) to support more coordinated and effective humanitarian action, as well as more localized and inclusive responses. Through these funds, the Government of Canada enabled local organizations to deliver life-saving assistance tailored to their communities' unique needs, often in hard-to-reach or crisis-affected areas. For instance, the funds provided a total of US$429 million in 2023, with 39% directly reaching local partners. As the eighth-largest donor, the Canadian government reaffirmed its commitment to locally led humanitarian action. In particular, this funding facilitated emergency relief in high-need and hard-to-reach areas such as Yemen, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, addressing critical areas such as food security, health and protection.

As a founding member of the , the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) collaborates with space agencies worldwide to support disaster relief operations at no cost to emergency responders. When the Charter is activated (meaning a country requests emergency satellite data), Canada provides valuable data from the RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) and RADARSAT-2 to support disaster response efforts. From April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024, the CSA provided satellite data for 44 activations, which represented 80% of all Charter activations.

Additionally, since April 2022, the CSA has provided imagery on a regular basis to the State Space Agency of Ukraine to support agricultural land management in the context of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Human Dignity (Gender-Responsive Humanitarian Action)

Examples of projects highlighted in this section

Story of change

Using space technology to better respond to natural disasters

Canada plays a key role with its RADARSAT Constellation Mission (RCM) – a trio of advanced satellites capturing images of the Earth’s water, land and ice during the day and night and in all types of weather.

Credits: © Myanmar Humanitarian Fund, Myanmar, 2024

Education

Education is a human right, a means to build peaceful and just societies, and a catalyst to achieve the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, barriers to accessing quality education persist, especially for women and girls, refugees, and those in crisis, fragile and conflict-affected situations.

According to the , 251 million children are currently out of school globally, and many of those left behind are the hardest to reach. Conflict, climate and health emergencies have reversed many of the educational gains made in recent years. For many children who remain in school, low levels of learning have worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, in some sub-Saharan African countries, only one in 10 students finishes primary school with the ability to read or do basic mathematics.

Canada’s international assistance in this area seeks to support a world where every child can access a quality education in a safe, secure, and respectful environment. Our policy and programming work in this action area aims at contributing to enhanced equal learning outcomes for girls and boys and equal employability of youth, women and men, particularly for the poorest, most vulnerable and most marginalized, in developing countries, conflict-affected and fragile situations and humanitarian settings where the Government of Canada engages. To achieve this, the government supports Canadian partners and multilateral organizations that have the global reach to effectively deliver results and promote educational opportunities for all. The government invests in a range of projects and initiatives in partner countries that seek to achieve outcomes in the following areas: 

• improve gender-responsive quality education systems
• increase access to gender-responsive, demand-driven, quality skills development
• improve gender-responsive quality education and skills development in conflict-affected and fragile states

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $493 million in this action area, the vast majority of which is considered official development assistance. Our education programming supported 134 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Improving gender-responsive quality education systems

In Jordan, through the Ministry of Education, 96,000 educators and teachers (Government of Jordan, more than $75 million, 2018-2023) received professional development support, of which almost 63% were women. This initiative supports quality education outcomes and contributed to a 14% increase in student enrollment and close to a 60% increase in the number of students entering grade 12. In addition, high school completion rates increased by 21%, with a more significant increase for girls. Learn more about the initiative.

The government’s education support to Jordan also improves access to inclusive and equitable formal and non-formal education (Government of Jordan, $5 million, 2021-2023). This initiative particularly benefited Syrian and other refugee children (Iraqi, Sudanese, Somali, Yemeni), as well as children with disabilities, by providing free tuition, textbooks, and other necessary support, such as transportation and assistive learning aids. In 2023-2024, the project exceeded its targets by reaching almost 152,000 Syrian children and more than 3,000 other refugee children. Additionally, it offered non-formal education opportunities, including dropout and catch-up programs, which saw high enrolment and completion rates. For instance, 1,484 students (42% female) participated in the catch-up program, and 4,020 students (56% female) joined the dropout program. These results support the commitment of out-of-school refugee and vulnerable students to continue their education and transition back to the formal system. The project also focused on enhancing the quality of education by:

• training teachers on social and emotional learning
• increasing access to counselling
• improving e-learning skills among teachers
• placing 122 new community mobilisers across the 42 directorates

Learn more about the .

In Mozambique, the Government of Canada helped improve education systems by supporting a project that enhanced learning processes and outcomes for children in 62 primary schools in 2023-2024 (Canadian Organization for Development through Education, more than $16.8 million, 2015-2024). Teachers received training at four Teacher Training Institutes in Maputo, Tete, Cabo Delgado and Niassa provinces. In particular, the project focused on:

• equipping student teachers with interactive and gender-sensitive teaching methods
• training school directors and school councils on their roles, responsibilities, and gender equality issues
• producing and distributing pedagogical manuals
• supporting the Ministry of Education in implementing their Gender Equality Strategy in the areas of teacher education and primary schools
• promoting life skills, girls’ education, and awareness and prevention of child marriage, and gender-based violence

Collectively, these efforts have contributed to improving the availability of accessible, safe, high-quality, and gender-sensitive education, especially for girls from pre-primary to secondary levels. Last year, the project supported the graduation of more than 4,500 student teachers, half of whom were female. Additionally, all 38 teacher training institutes in the country received gender-sensitive pedagogical manuals, which were also published online, to ensure broader access and educational continuity. Learn more about the project.

Increasing access to gender-responsive, demand-driven, quality skills development

In the Chittagong Hill Tracts district of Bangladesh, a Canada-funded project aimed to significantly improve learning outcomes and employability for vulnerable and low-income Indigenous and Bengali girls, adolescents and women, including people with disabilities (BRAC, $5 million, 2020-2024). Over the four years of this project, it provided almost 1,000 teachers with subject-based training, enabling them to better meet the needs of struggling students and deliver higher-quality instruction. Academic performance improved by 52% in government primary schools and by 50% in non-government secondary schools during the project, while 77% of government primary school teachers and 61% of secondary school teachers are now able to identify at least three ways their teaching or leadership style has changed. The project helped ensure that 881 out of 889 yousng women graduated from skills training. Additionally, 45 out of 73 women learners with disabilities completed skills training. Learn more about the .

In Senegal, the Government of Canada is supporting a project that is contributing to the empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized women by increasing their active participation in the economy and in their community development (Colleges and Institutes Canada, $18 million, 2020-2026). This is being achieved by:

• developing tailored vocational training
• supporting women in business development
• training ministry officials on gender equality and promoting women’s roles in economic and social spheres

As of March 2024, the project collaborated with the Senegalese government to set up 23 employment and entrepreneurship centres that act as one-stop shops to select the participants and place them in technical schools. These centres offered a range of services, such as providing information on project financing and scholarships, training gender focal points, and selecting 713 women for certification in 22 different trades such as electrical work, solar panel installation and animal husbandry. Learn more about the project.

Improving gender-responsive quality education and skills development in conflict-affected and fragile states

In Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, the Government of Canada supported educational opportunities in a project where quality education and skills development were improved for children experiencing conflict and instability (UNICEF, $9 million, 2022-2024). Over its two years, the project has supported the enrollment of almost 793,000 Venezuelan, displaced and host community children in the three countries. Partners worked with the Ministries of Education, Health, Justice and Social Services to improve the referral of children to specialized services such as mental health and child protection. Almost 21,000 children received mental health and psychosocial support services during the project, with another 900 able to access child protective services. Additionally, more than 4,000 education authorities, the majority of whom were women, were trained on the delivery of quality, gender-responsive, and inclusive education services. The project strengthened regional cooperation, leading to the development of integrated frameworks. These frameworks are used to ensure greater integration of Venezuelan and other migrant children in transit across the Andean region. Learn more about the project.

In Somalia, a project enhanced access to quality education for marginalized and vulnerable groups, including nomadic girls, girls with disabilities, and those affected by conflict (CARE Canada, more than $11 million, 2020-2023). The project’s activities improved access to safe, quality, and gender-sensitive education, even in challenging humanitarian contexts. As of March 2023, the project had rehabilitated 48 classrooms and conducted enrolment campaigns that reached thousands of families. It awarded scholarships to nearly 3,000 girls, including 32 girls with special needs, ensuring continued access to education despite ongoing instability in the country. The project promoted classroom attendance and supported the education of girls and those with disabilities by:

• providing almost 3,500 girls with sanitary kits
• providing 800 girls with uniforms
• sensitizing 70 communities on menstrual hygiene
• providing support to just over 1,000 children with disabilities

Additionally, the project created safer learning environments by maintaining water supply to 14 schools in the Somali state of Jubaland. This effort helped mitigate the ongoing impact of drought. Learn more about the project.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Human Dignity (Education)

Story of change

Adelle’s story

Meet Adelle, an entrepreneur and mother from the Democratic Republic of Congo. With support from Canada’s LEAP program, she now owns a clothing shop in Kenya. She also mentors other women and contributes to the economic growth of her community.

Credit: © K4DM/SPP, Thailand, 2023

Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls

The Government of Canada remains committed to protecting and advancing gender equality and empowering women and girls. This work is increasingly important with the rising number of global conflicts and crises, which have amplified existing gender inequalities and exacerbated sexual and gender-based violence. Coordinated movements threaten to roll back the rights of women, girls, and 2SLGBTQI+ people, including laws and policies that support gender equality.

Canada’s international assistance policy and programming in this area seek to enhance the enjoyment of human rights for women and girls, and gender equality for all women and men, girls and boys, particularly the poorest, most marginalized and most vulnerable, in countries where the Government of Canada engages. To do this, the government supported a range of initiatives aimed at achieving results including: 

• address sexual and gender-based violence, including harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation or cutting
• support and strengthen women’s rights organizations and movements to drive change in their countries
• support evidence-based policy-making and program delivery for gender equality

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $261 million in this action area, of which $249 million is considered official development assistance. Our gender equality and empowerment of women and girls programming supported 136 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada reached more than 40 million people through projects that addressed sexual and gender-based violence.

Through signature initiatives like the Women’s Voice and Leadership Program and the Equality Fund, the government supported the work of more than 3,000 women’s rights organizations and feminist movements. In 2023-2024, the Equality Fund granted $21.9 million to women’s rights and feminist organizations in some 100 countries to build their capacity to drive changes in support of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in their communities. The Government of Canada renewed its support to Women’s Voice and Leadership, committing $195 million over five years, and $43.3 million each year thereafter. This assistance will help women’s rights organizations and LBTQI groups in more than 30 countries.

Addressing sexual and gender-based violence, including harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage, and female genital mutilation or cutting

In 2023-2024, Canada’s contribution to the supported the empowerment of women and girls to understand and assert their rights to bodily autonomy and change social and gender norms (United Nations Population Fund, $7.5 million, 2023-2025). As the largest global program addressing the harmful practice of female genital mutilation, the program works to advance women’s and girls’ rights, health, and well-being.

Last year, more than a million girls and young women in 17 countries participated in activities provided by this program. These activities focused on the health and well-being of women and girls. This participation far exceeded the annual target of just over 400,000 participants. This was achieved, in part, through girls’ clubs that provided space to discuss ways to take action to promote gender equality and prevent female genital mutilation in their communities.

In 2023-2024, the program empowered more than 50,000 religious, community and traditional leaders to publicly denounce female genital mutilation. In addition, it established surveillance systems that prevented approximately 162,000 girls, aged 14 and younger, from undergoing this harmful practice. The program enhances the capacity of national health, education, and child protection systems to provide appropriate services to girls and women. This support enabled more than 900,000 girls and women to receive female genital mutilation or cutting prevention and protection services. It led regional, national and local movements to advocate for the elimination of the practice. For example, in Eritrea, the program supported collaborations between the National Union of Eritrean Women and government ministries, which resulted in 16 subregions declaring that they were female genital mutilation-free.

In 2023-2024, the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI) provided almost $44,000 to an initiative that enhanced sexual and gender-based violence survivors’ access to quality care and psychosocial support services in Nigeria ($420,000, 2023-2024). While modest in size, the project delivered support to almost 2,000 individuals, offering training to first responders, law enforcement officers and sexual and gender-based violence case managers to improve care for these survivors.

By increasing sexual and gender-based violence survivors’ access to counseling and justice services, the project has helped survivors regain self-esteem, rebuild their lives and restore hope. In many cases, the initiative enabled victims to escape their abusers, receive counseling, and break free from the cycle of abuse. Learn more about the initiative.

Supporting and strengthening women’s rights organizations and movements to drive change in their countries

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada continued to support local women’s rights organizations in Kenya through a project aimed at enhancing governance, management, programming, and sustainability of these organizations (CARE Canada, $8 million, 2019-2024). This support has enabled partner organizations to better serve and advocate for women and girls at a time when Kenya is witnessing a rise in gender-based violence and femicide as well as increased attacks on the 2SLGBTQI+ community.

In 2023-2024, the project funded 113 women’s rights organizations and seven feminist networks. These organizations support diverse groups such as rural women, youth, 2SLGBTQI+ women, ethnic minorities, widows, women with disabilities, and sex workers. As a result of the project, the organizations have improved their governance, organizational development, strategic planning, negotiation skills, risk management, and resource mobilization. For example, one of the organizations, CRAWN Trust, successfully worked with its partners to influence six national policies to improve the lives of Kenyan women and girls, demonstrating the effectiveness of its advocacy work and engagement. Learn more about the project.

Since January 2019, a project in Sri Lanka has helped 62 women’s rights organizations improve their governance and management systems (The Asia Foundation, more than $2.8 million, 2019-2023). Over the five years of the project, these organizations have adopted best-practices resulting in:

• improved project, organizational, and human resource management
• enhanced leadership and opportunities for staff
• better reports and financial accountability
• increased visibility of women’s rights organizations to other donors
• increased partnerships with other organizations and government
• increased fundraising
• better approaches to addressing women’s rights
• increased capacities in project proposal development, donor engagement, workplans, timelines, and monitoring and reporting

At the community level, women’s rights organizations raised awareness of gender dynamics and women’s rights, and increased women’s participation. They contributed to the National Policy on Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, adopted by the Sri Lankan government in March 2023, and the National Plan of Action on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, approved by the Sri Lankan Cabinet on July 11, 2024. As a result, 33 women’s rights organizations reported better engagement in national and regional platforms, contributing to the advancement of gender equality in Sri Lanka. Learn more about the project.

Supporting evidence-based policy-making and program delivery for gender equality

With support from the Canadian government, a project improved protection for Venezuelan migrant and refugee children in Brazil, particularly vulnerable adolescent girls and 2SLGBTQI+ youth in the North (UNICEF, $5 million, 2022-2024). In 2023, more than 234,000 Venezuelan migrants and refugees entered Brazil, 29% of whom were children and adolescents. More than 5,000 of these young people were undocumented, unaccompanied, and/or separated from their families, a 25% increase from the previous year. Thanks in part to the government’s $5 million investment, this UNICEF-led project successfully facilitated the adoption of new national standards for the protection of migrant children. It improved guidance for local authorities on upholding migrant children’s rights to documentation and citizenship.

Through this project, a case management system was introduced, helping more than 15,000 Venezuelan children and caregivers. By creating safe spaces and supporting mental health initiatives, such as the program, the project has provided gender-sensitive services for adolescent girls and 2SLGBTQI+ youth. It has bolstered gender-based violence prevention and promoted children’s and women’s rights through campaigns like the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. Learn more about the project.

In Lebanon, the Integrating Gender Equality into Lebanese Institutions project in 2023-2024 conducted gender reviews and assessments of national institutions, including ministries and security agencies (UNPD, nearly $3.9 million, 2020-2024). This resulted in 10 gender assessments and policy papers. The project also delivered 20 gender capacity-building sessions for 151 staff members, leading to the development of eight gender-sensitive policy papers and tools to improve evidence-based policymaking. 

The project also worked with Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) partners to enhance gender-based responses to Lebanon’s ongoing crises. For instance, the project supported the development of 28 projects that incorporate gender and provided gender capacity-building training to almost 248 LCRP partners. The project’s efforts have contributed to a more inclusive and equitable institutional environment as:

• 93% of the staff at targeted institutions perceived that their respective capacity on gender equality and women’s empowerment was strengthened
• 90% of LCRP sectors have improved their gender and age inclusivity, achieving the highest possible rating on the Inter-Agency Standing Committee gender and age marker
• 78% of targeted LCRP partners reported integrating gender analysis and responses into their programming

Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada, through the International Development Research Centre, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the Social Sciences and the Humanities Research Council of Canada, worked with 23 research teams from low- and middle-income countries on an initiative called Women RISE to improve women’s health and socio-economic well-being ($24 million, 2023-2024). The initiative examines how women’s health and work (paid or unpaid) intersect in the context of COVID-19 preparedness, response and recovery across developing countries. Last year, Women RISE research findings influenced a range of policies in the countries where this project is active to strengthen social protections, improve working conditions and ensure better preparedness for future crises for women. In Ecuador, for example, the municipal government of Cuenca has improved labour regulations to reduce the exposure of waste pickers to biohazardous material, thereby improving their health. In Uganda, the district of Busia has introduced new services to provide young women working in the artisanal and small-scale mining sector with identity cards to enable them to access financial loans and health care. In Ghana, a Women RISE project is helping to form a nationally recognized association of bushmeat traders and hunters. This enables female traders to benefit from government social support initiatives, including affordable health care and alternative livelihood opportunities. Learn more about the initiative.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women and Girls
• Canada’s Policy for Civil Society Partnerships for International Assistance-A Feminist Approach

Other

• Women’s Voice and Leadership Program

Story of change

A Breakthrough for Women and Politics in Mongolia

In 2024, Mongolia achieved a historic milestone, with women’s representation in Parliament reaching a record 25.4%. With support from the Equality Fund, grassroots organizations in the country are making great strides in the push for gender parity in politics.

Credit: © UNICEF - Bénin, Benin, 2024

Global health and nutrition

In 2023-2024, the global health context remained challenging with multiple factors affecting the health of populations and country health systems around the world. Ongoing conflicts and crises, rising inflation and food prices, and climate change-driven events and conditions had a significant impact on the well-being of the poorest and most vulnerable. This impact was especially severe for women, adolescents and children. Health systems, still rebuilding from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, continue to struggle with—and better prepare for—existing and emerging infectious disease threats. In addition, ongoing conflicts have disrupted childhood vaccination programs, resulting, for instance, in polio reappearing in regions that were previously polio-free.

In 2023, the number of people facing hunger and food insecurity globally reached approximately 733 million. This constitutes one in 11 people worldwide, and one in five in Africa. Food insecurity is even more pronounced among women and girls, who often eat last and least. Within this context, the Government of Canada continued to work with Canadian and global stakeholders to advance global health and rights.

The current phase of Canada’s leadership in global health is guided by its 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights (10YC, 2020-2030). It commits Canada’s global health spending to increase to $1.4 billion by 2023-2024, with $700 million dedicated to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR).

Canada’s $520 million pledge over 5 years (2021-2024) to support gender-sensitive interventions for the poorest and most vulnerable made under our commitment is a key component of the 10YC global health investments.

Canada’s policy and programming work in Health and Nutrition ultimately aims at contributing to improved health and equal enjoyment of health rights for those experiencing poverty, marginalization and/or vulnerability in countries where the Government of Canada engages. To achieve this, the government has invested in a range of projects and initiatives aimed at the following expected outcomes:

• increased use of gender-responsive quality health services 
• improved healthy behaviours and practices that support women’s autonomy and decision-making 
• strengthened equal protection and promotion of sexual, reproductive and health rights of citizens by governments and key stakeholders

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $1,402 million in this action area, of which $1,400 million is considered official development assistance. Our global health and nutrition programming supported 141 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Increasing the use of gender-responsive quality health services

The disruption of childhood vaccination coverage in fragile, conflict-affected, and vulnerable countries has resulted in a resurgence of polio in a number of countries. The Government of Canada supported the (GPEI) to continue to reduce polio cases worldwide, especially in countries where the disease is regularly occurring  (, $50 million, 2021-2023 and , $100 million, 2021-2024).

The Government of Canada’s support contributed to approximately 120 polio immunization campaigns in 30 countries in 2023-2024 to reduce polio cases through house-to-house immunization methods and awareness-raising activities.

The Government of Canada also provided focused support in Afghanistan (2021-2024, $15 million), where UNICEF and the WHO implemented community engagement and communication strategies that supported the vaccination of 11.9 million children. Over 25 million people were reached through social media channels to increase awareness and support for vaccination campaigns. The Government of Canada also contributed to the deployment of over 9,000 social mobilizers who were essential for community engagement and mobilization in hard-to-reach and high-risk areas. This initiative provided other critical health services to the Afghan people such as distributing 2.2 million bars of soap to promote hygiene practices and prevent the spread of other diseases. Learn more about the project. 

In Benin, Burkina Faso, and Haiti, the Government of Canada funded a project that has helped to increase access to sexual and reproductive health care for marginalized and vulnerable people, particularly adolescent girls and young women (Doctors of the World Canada, $33.3 million, 2021-2027). Accessing quality sexual and reproductive health services can be challenging for many adolescent girls and young women. This is due to a lack of services and restrictive social and cultural norms. However, since the start of the project in September 2021, there has been a 71% increase in sexual and reproductive health consultations by young people in 44 project-supported health facilities in Burkina Faso. In 2023-2024, training provided to some 500 healthcare providers played a key role in this change, as it focused on the specific needs and rights of adolescents and youth. The project is one of 11 Canadian-funded initiatives resulting from the Health and Rights for Women, Adolescent Girls and Children call for proposals under Canada’s 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights. Learn more about the project.

Access to gender-sensitive nutrition is key to ensuring positive health outcomes. For example, in Haiti, project improved integrated health services for women, teenage girls and children by providing essential health services, focusing on gender-sensitive nutrition support for vulnerable children (UNFPA, $26 million, 2018-2023). Since the project began in 2018, supported facilities treated over 12,000 children for malnutrition, addressing more than 3,700 cases of severe acute malnutrition and just over 8,500 cases of moderate acute malnutrition. By strengthening the capacity of local health centres and using a community-based outreach strategy, through a network of 137 community health workers, the project extended nutrition services to households in remote areas. These efforts targeted the poorest and most marginalized children who face heightened risks of malnutrition-related health complications. Learn more about the project.

Innovation is also key to improving access to essential services. Under the Canadian Small and Medium Organizations (SMOs) for Impact and Innovation Initiative, 12 SMOs tested innovative solutions through the  in 2023-2024. For example, in Ethiopia, a project tested mobile ultrasound services in select health centres for pregnant women in remote areas (Canadian Physicians for Aid and Relief, $250,000). While small in size, this investment supported an innovation that improved prenatal care access for 2,795 pregnant women, surpassing the initial goal by 23%. The project also helped reduce undetected pregnancy complications from 20% to 6%.

Improving healthy behaviours and practices supportive of women’s autonomy and decision making

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada continued to invest in initiatives that ensure children under five receive vitamin A supplements, an essential strategy to support child survival. For example, the government invested in a project that aims to improve the equity and effectiveness of vitamin A supplementation delivery to children in 15 African countries (UNICEF, $34 million, 2023-2025). As a result of this initiative, almost 42,000 women’s groups, across nine African countries, were provided with the knowledge, skills and social support to improve child nutrition. In addition, the project launched eight nutrition literacy and gender-related awareness campaigns in three countries, reaching more than 1.9 million women and 1.2 million men. These efforts helped ensure that 33.8 million children received their two doses of vitamin A supplements. This was done in conjunction with training almost 28,000 health workers and managers on gender equity and gender-related barriers to supplement delivery. Learn more about the project.

Through funding to Nutrition International (NI), the Government of Canada continued to promote nutrition interventions for women and children in over 60 countries. The initiative provides technical expertise to governments, the African Union and other regional organizations to reduce malnutrition rates (Nutrition International, $280 million, 2019-2025). For example, in 2023-2024, NI provided 157 million children with vitamin A supplementation. Through its support to over 1,000 community groups, it helped increase the decision-making power of women and girls. This was achieved, in part, through support to community groups, such as girls’ clubs and pregnant women support groups, to talk about gender-based constraints and advocacy. Work with these groups included developing or amending over 41 evidence-informed, gender-responsive behaviour change intervention strategies. Learn more about the initiative.

The  continues to invest in global health research, focusing on three key areas: sex and gender, non-communicable diseases, and health emergencies ($13.9 million, 2023-2024). This funding is enabling the generation and translation of knowledge that will improve the quality of life for people in developing countries, Canada and around the world. In partnership with the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases, the Canadian Institutes of Health Research awarded a grant for a new project ($2 million, 2024-2029) that will support the implementation of a tailored intervention in underserved areas in Tamale, Ghana, and Montréal, Canada, aimed at promoting physical activity in urban settings and improving the delivery of primary non-communicable disease prevention services in urban health systems. Learn more about the project.

Strengthening equal protection and promotion of sexual, reproductive and health rights of citizens by governments and key stakeholders

In 2023-2024, support for a project in the Tchologo region in Côte d’Ivoire, is enabling women and adolescent girls to exercise their sexual and reproductive rights and improve their health and that of their children by supporting stronger and more inclusive governance and gender equality in health (Action Against Hunger, $6.2 million, 2021-2026). This project trained 18 public administration officials and 46 community leaders, as well as increased the participation of women on various management committee meetings in 13 of the 15 health centres supported by the project. These efforts enhanced women’s and girls’ influence over health services and increased their involvement in decision making and management. Last year, this project conducted awareness raising activities that reached over 192,000 people, 60% of whom were women and adolescent girls. This outreach was complemented by support to health facilities and efforts to improve the quality of care through staff training and the upgrading of their infrastructure. Learn more about the and project.

In 2023-2024, a Canadian-funded project contributed to advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights in sub-Saharan Africa including in Tanzania and Senegal (MSI Reproductive Choices, $10 million, 2023-2027). The project helped almost 188,000 clients in Tanzania receive family planning and safe abortion services, 21% of whom were adolescents. In Senegal, the project conducted more than 5,000 client visits, providing some 1,600 family planning and safe abortion services. In both Senegal and Tanzania, an estimated 19,500 couples were reached with family planning services. In both countries, the project continues to work with governments and various partners to review and develop guidelines that aim to create a more enabling environment for realizing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Learn more about the project.

Canada’s in the (GFF) contributed to important structural advancements that enhanced the ability of partner governments to protect and promote health rights, including sexual and reproductive rights (IBRD Trust Funds – World Bank, $150 million, 2021-2025). By 2023, 33 out of 36 partner countries had finalized investment cases that implemented strategies prioritizing actions for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health. In 2023-2024, three countries initiated work to adopt legislative reforms on sexual and reproductive health and rights:

• Niger adopted legislative reform to include comprehensive sexuality education in schools
• Cameroon reversed legislation preventing pregnant girls from attending schools
• Benin adopted legislation increasing access to contraception and youth-friendly services for adolescents

Since joining the Global Financing Facility (GFF), partner countries have invested 38% more of the World Bank financing in reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition than before joining the GFF. This has helped unlock more than US$4 billion in additional World Bank financing for high-impact interventions for women, children and adolescents.  These funds are aimed at improving the health of women, children and adolescents in partner countries, focusing on health priorities that might not have otherwise received funding. GFF partner countries continue to scale service delivery faster than countries that are GFF eligible but not yet supported. All partner countries currently supported by the GFF have shown declines in adolescent birth rates and maternal mortality. Almost all have seen declines in under-five mortality, neonatal mortality, and stunting in children under five years of age.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Human Dignity (Health and Nutrition)

Report

• Canada’s 10-Year Commitment to Global Health and Rights: Measuring the progress

Other

Story of change

Transforming Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in Bolivia

A girl’s future shouldn’t be determined by a lack of health care. The ARRIBA project improved access to sexual and reproductive health services, reduced maternal and newborn mortality, and empowered women and girls.

Credits: © UNICEF/UNI680043/Noorani, Ghana, 2024

Inclusive economic growth

This action area aims at contributing to enhanced economic well-being and enjoyment of economic rights for the poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable, including women and girls, and people with disabilities. This area supports interventions in countries where the Government of Canada engages and that are affected by persistent and extreme poverty. To do this, the government funded a range of projects and initiatives under this action area that aim to achieve outcomes related to the following areas:

• bringing down barriers to women’s economic empowerment
• building more inclusive and sustainable economies
• strengthening economic resilience 

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $952 million in this action area, of which $828 million is considered official development assistance. Our inclusive economic growth programming supported 140 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Bringing down barriers to women’s economic empowerment

In Ethiopia, the Government of Canada invested in a project that enhances decision making, resource control, and leadership among women entrepreneurs (IBRD Trust Funds – World Bank, $16 million, 2019-2024). The project improves women’s access to finance by providing innovative financial options through banks. It supports programs and policies that address specific challenges and barriers facing women entrepreneurs. As of the end of March 2024, the project launched a total of 14 pilots, surpassing the original target of 12. This included seven focused on business support services and seven on financial services tailored to the needs of women entrepreneurs. The financial services provided through the project included:

• financial management or accounting application
• uncollateralized digital lending
• digital payments
• climate adaptation financing for micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises

So far, four financial institutions are offering cash flow-based lending (loan tied to business income), psychometric-based lending (loan assessment using personality traits), and revenue-based financing (loan repaid as a percentage of business revenue) to women entrepreneurs. In total, six Ethiopian financial institutions are now providing innovative financial services that are helping women entrepreneurs who otherwise, would not have had access to capital to advance their business initiatives. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested in a project that enhanced the economic empowerment and resilience of women farmers in Senegal’s Casamance region by increasing the availability and access to financial products and services tailored to their needs (SOCODEVI, over $9.8 million, 2021-2026). The project works with grassroots cooperatives and regional financial institutions to enhance their capacity to develop and implement innovative business models for distributing agricultural insurance to women and women’s groups.

Last year, the project trained almost 8,000 women in financial education, surpassing the initial target of 7,000. To meet the needs of women farmers, 155 organizations, including agricultural cooperatives and decentralized financial systems, were offered climate-smart services such as agricultural insurance and climate information. This was more than three times the number of organizations reached in 2022-2023. Through the project, an estimated $1.2 million in loans were granted to women and covered by agricultural insurance in the southern and central target zones. The project aims to build the capacity of Senegal’s national agricultural insurance company and national financial institutions to develop and provide products and services that meet the needs of women. In 2023-2024, more than 844,000 policyholders were registered, including some 258,000 women. The direct beneficiaries represent 7,000 women members of 150 agricultural groups in the rural regions of Casamance. Learn more about the project.

The Government of Canada invested in a project in Egypt that supports women’s economic empowerment (UN Women, $8.9 million, 2019-2026). More than 7,500 Egyptian women were trained in post-harvest skills in 2023-2024, including 214 women with disabilities. Seventy-nine per cent of the women who received training were then able to gain employment. In addition, more than 300 women entrepreneurs received coaching on sustainable business models. Nearly 800 more women were provided access to financial and non-financial services. The project helped create more than 500 new job opportunities, with 94% of new hires being women. Eighty-eight per cent of these jobs are with businesses that use eco-friendly processes such as recycling and resource efficiency. Last year, in terms of institutional support, the project had enhanced gender-responsive services delivery across various ministries to improve their business support services and gender-responsive planning and budgeting. This was achieved through a series of workshops that provided hands-on skills in problem analysis and program development using the logical framework, incorporating gender equality and women's empowerment principles. In collaboration with the National Council for Women, UN Women provided technical assistance to the Ministry of Finance to develop innovative financing tools, with a special focus on gender-responsive bonds under Egypt’s Sovereign Sustainable Financing Framework. Additionally, they supported the gender-responsive budgeting intervention in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and nine other ministries. Learn more about the project.

Building more inclusive and sustainable economies

In East and West Africa, a project on leadership and investment enhanced economic opportunities for marginalized groups to improve their social and economic well-being. (Acumen Fund Inc., $4.8 million, 2020-2025). In 2023-2024, the project positively impacted 15,100 individuals, half of whom were women. This included support to social enterprises delivering essential goods and services. This enabled early-stage companies in Ethiopia, Ghana and Kenya to grow and create new job opportunities. Last year, more than 240 emerging business leaders from 11 countries participated in the project’s development programs and 70 entrepreneurs participated in specialized accelerator programs. Almost all the participants indicated that they had benefited from the program, including expanding their professional networks. Overall, the companies supported by this project reached more than 56.9 million people with innovative solutions, exceeding the target of 40 million people. In addition, 84% of those impacted by the project reported an improved quality of life. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, a Canada-funded initiative improved access to work and self-employment opportunities for the poorest and most marginalized in the West Bank, particularly women. The project facilitated access to both domestic and international markets for women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (Cowater International Inc., $9.9 million, 2018-2024). Last year, it supported women producers by connecting them with local and export market opportunities. This included markets in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Israel, and Canada. This support contributed to a more inclusive economy by helping women entrepreneurs grow their businesses and increase their incomes.

The project is also fostering the growth of a green economy in the West Bank by supporting women-owned businesses in the renewable energy sector. It has helped establish a female-owned energy audit company, with two more companies in the authorization process. It focused on enhancing the competitiveness and sustainability of women-led enterprises by strengthening the technical, business, and managerial capacities of women-led micro, small and medium enterprises. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the Canadian government helped improve the protection of vulnerable migrants in Latin America. It helped origin, transit, and destination countries better respond to and manage the region’s large-scale migration and forced displacements. For instance, in Costa Rica, the Government of Canada worked with the International Organization for Migration and others to support legal reforms to expand the Labour Migration Traceability System. The system monitors the transit of migrant workers and provides identity documents in real-time, giving workers migratory status in Costa Rica. The reforms expanded the sectors included in the system from agriculture to construction and cargo or people transportation. This has helped ensure that migrant workers have better access to services and economic opportunities.

Strengthening economic resilience

In Cuba, the Government of Canada is supporting a project that enhances financial security and economic resilience for Cuba’s poorest and most vulnerable, particularly rural women, by strengthening three fruit production chains (United Nations Development Programme [UNDP], $7.5 million, 2017-2024). Despite ongoing economic challenges, in 2023 the project empowered almost 1,900 fruit farmers, including more than 500 women, to improve their yields. For example, fruit production surged in the town of Alquízar, with mango yields increasing by 116% and guava by 328%. Agrofrutales prioritized gender inclusivity, doubling the number of female presidents of cooperatives and elevating women’s representation in decision-making roles to 51%. The project supported 12 women-led enterprises and installed micro-industries that processed 2.4 tons of fruit per hour, adding over $2.7 million in value. By facilitating the processing of surplus fruit, Agrofrutales enabled farmers to reduce post-harvest losses and secure new revenue streams. In addition, the project provided comprehensive training, equipment, and technical assistance. It gave rural women the tools to withstand economic shocks, diversify their income, and contribute meaningfully to Cuba’s food security and resilience. Learn more about the project.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Growth that Works for Everyone

Story of change

Her time to grow

They say it takes a village to raise a child, but how does one bring up a village? The Her Time to Grow project assumes that part of the answer lies in giving women a chance to grow as active members of their economy.

Credits: © Fundação José Silveira, Brazil, 2023

Climate and environment

Climate change and biodiversity loss pose a growing threat to the planet and all people and species. The climate crisis is exacerbating pre-existing vulnerabilities and contributing to insecurity. It threatens long-term development gains in , and . Developing countries are often the hardest hit and the least equipped to prevent and cope with the consequences of climate change.

The financing needed to address climate change and biodiversity loss is immense. According to the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance, estimates suggest that up to is needed annually, for all countries, by 2030 to meet the goals of the . According to the , is needed to close the finance gap in order to halt or reverse biodiversity loss and protect vulnerable species. However, public finance alone will not meet this level of needed investment. The private sector must play an important role in global efforts to reach the investment levels required to create low-carbon and climate-resilient communities. 

In 2023-2024, Canada’s climate finance supported national and local governments around the world, especially in the Caribbean, to strengthen 290 laws, policies or programs in areas such as economic development, housing, agriculture, and natural resource management. The Government of Canada also supported the development or adoption of an additional 53 laws, policies or programs specifically focused on . These new laws, policies and programs strengthened climate actions related to the , conservation, pasture management, transboundary water management, and monitoring progress toward .

This action area aims at contributing to an improved state of the environment and climate resilience for marginalized and vulnerable populations and future generations, particularly women and girls, in countries where the Government of Canada engages. To do this, the government invested in a range of projects and initiatives that seek to achieve outcomes in the following areas: 

• enhance environmental governance and women’s empowerment
• mobilize businesses for environmental performance
• increase environmental practices that support healthy, resilient and adaptive communities

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $1,342 million in this action area, of which $877 million is considered official development assistance on a grant equivalent basis. Our climate and environment programming supported 138 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of key projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Canada’s funding in the climate and environment area enabled developing countries to reduce, avoid or remove an expected 282 megatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere. It supported climate change adaptation initiatives that benefited 7.7 million people. 

The Government of Canada has established bilateral climate funds with the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, and the World Bank Group. These funds are designed to catalyze public and private sector investment that would not otherwise happen due to market barriers in developing countries. These barriers include low returns on investment, the innovative nature of the proposed climate-related technology or perceived versus actual risk, which are partly due to political or social instability. These climate funds were a large part of the private sector mobilization for Canadian climate finance in 2023, which mobilized $1.19 for every dollar spent. 

Enhancing environmental governance and women’s empowerment

The effects of droughts, floods and other climate-related disasters is felt disproportionately by the poor, including men and women farmers in rural communities. Climate risk insurance can assist recovery when disaster does strike. Climate disasters affect women and men in different ways, and risk insurance products must meet the needs of both. In 2023-2024, the project (World Food Programme, $17 million, 2023-2026) and the project (German Society for International Cooperation, $2.3 million, 2021-2026) worked together to provide training on gender issues in agriculture and climate disaster risk insurance to 1,350 insurance adjustors and risk assessors. They linked trainees with experts from academia, the private sector, and the World Bank to:

• build skills in designing gender-sensitive risk insurance products
• develop policies that address gender gaps and promote inclusive risk insurance
• build women’s leadership capacity in insurance regulatory organizations

In 2023-2024, a Canada-funded project helped improve livelihoods for women in remote rural regions of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania through the use of agroecological approaches (SeedChange, nearly $15 million, 2021-2026). The project provided support to women’s rights and agricultural-based organizations to:

• advance climate adaptation
• increase food security
• enhance gender equality
• reduce sexual and gender-based violence

Last year, the project trained more than 7,500 individuals in agroecological strategies, technologies and practices to reduce climate vulnerability and build knowledge about women’s empowerment. As a result of the project, 55 rural community organizations and private sector actors started offering financial and technical support to women farmers. Since the project started in 2021, it has helped ensure that 78% of community members practice the sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity resources. This includes on-farm and community seed bank conservation systems, seed multiplication, agroforestry, and the selection and breeding of locally adapted crop varieties. Learn more about the project.

Last year, the Government of Canada continued to deliver support to the , the world’s largest network dedicated to sustainable landscape governance. In 2023-2024, the IMFN Secretariat implemented the second year of its to scale up nature-based leadership ($18.7 million, 2022-2026). Last year, IMFN Climate funded 10 partners across Africa, Asia and Latin America, which resulted in:

• over 240 hectares of land being restored or rehabilitated using gender responsive, nature-based solutions
• over 800 people being trained on how to develop and implement nature-based climate solutions
• 47 next-generation forest leaders being awarded scholarships

These investments have enabled young leaders to pursue graduate studies in fields related to forest and landscape restoration, climate change and sustainable forest management. These emerging leaders now have the potential to positively impact their communities, landscapes, and global narratives for climate and biodiversity action.

Mobilizing businesses for environmental performance

The initiative (IDB, $250 million, 2012-2037) and (IDB, $223.5 million, 2019-2044) provides loans at below-market rates combined with extra financing from the Inter-American Development Bank to stimulate private sector climate investments in Latin America and the Caribbean. This helps to start large projects in renewable energy, energy efficiency, biofuels, or sustainable agriculture and forestry. Because of their innovative nature, these projects would not be bankable if dependent on standard commercial loans. As of December 2023, the IDB has approved 35 climate change projects in 15 Latin American countries and one project in the Caribbean. They are expected to prevent 9.2 megatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions. They provide employment to women and minority groups in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). A third phase of the initiative, the , was announced in March 2024. The fund will continue to incentivize private-sector investments in projects that will help economies in Latin America and the Caribbean become less carbon-intensive, more climate resilient and more inclusive. The Fund is expected to attract an additional US$2.7 billion from both private and public sectors. For every dollar invested, the aim is to generate eight dollars in total investments, with two of those dollars coming from the private sector.

In addition, the Government of Canada has contributed to the (Mirova Gigaton Fund S.A., $42 million, 2023-2038) which supports private investment into small and medium enterprises in developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas. This funding helped boost economic growth and reduce poverty. As of December 2023, the Fund contributed to providing over 260,000 people with new or improved energy access and supported over 1,400 jobs, while mobilizing approximately $34 million in private capital.

Canada’s support to the has helped to improve sustainable energy access and climate resilience across Africa, with a focus on gender-responsive solutions (International Finance Corporation, $150 million, 2017-2040). AREI is mobilizing Africa’s renewable energy potential to generate 300 GW of additional capacity by 2030. To date, $80 million has been invested in solar, hydropower and mini-grid projects across the continent.

In 2023-2024, the initiative provided US$25 million in concessional financing to a private sector venture for modular solar PV and battery storage solutions in Chad and Cameroon. This will add a combined 71 MW to national grids and reduce annual carbon emissions by 62,200 tonnes. Another US$10 million concessional loan enabled the to provide debt financing to companies in decentralized renewable energy sectors, including mini-grids and small independent power producers. Last year, AREI established an that worked to address gender gaps and boost women’s participation in leadership and technical roles in the renewable energy sector. By combining clean energy expansion with efforts to improve inclusion, Canada’s partnership with AREI is leading the way for business solutions to the climate crisis and its impact in Africa.

Canada’s investment in a sustainable energy project in Jordan has enhanced the livelihoods of women, youth, and marginalized groups in poor communities of the Jordan Valley region through renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions (Cowater International Inc., $24.4 million, 2016-2023). By improving skills and employment prospects in the renewable energy sector, particularly for women and youth, the project accelerated growth in this sector. Over the past eight years, the project has increased access to and use of renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions in the Deir Alla and Ajloun regions. This improved access to clean energy for nearly 77,000 people. The project improved both the knowledge of clean energy solutions and employment opportunities for skilled workers in Jordan’s renewable energy and energy efficiency sector. Through the project, 315 individuals have found employment, including 1,243 women. Some 1,500 individuals have received training, including more than 50 women and some 1,000 youth, increasing their capacities to develop and implement solutions to transition to clean energy. The project’s activities resulted in the introduction of five policies, mechanisms or procedures aimed at supporting the growth of the micro and small renewable energy sector in Jordan. Learn more about the Sustainable Economic Development Through Renewable Energy in Jordan project ( and ).

Increasing environmental practices that support healthy, resilient and adaptive communities

The Government of Canada is helping those living along rivers and coastlines in developing countries to improve methods of managing invasive species, strengthen the management of marine protected areas and watersheds, restore mangroves and rehabilitate reefs. For example, in 2023-2024, a Canada-funded initiative supported 22 nature-based solutions projects that aimed to strengthen climate change resilience, economies and communities in 14 Pacific Island States (Agence Française de Développement, $10 million, 2020-2027). These projects rehabilitated, protected, conserved or sustainably managed more than 27,500 hectares of terrestrial or marine environment. They enhanced the adaptive capacity of over 10,500 people, including 4,000 women. Kiwa has trained more than 200 people, 60% of whom are women, in the following areas:

• gender equality and social inclusion
• marine ecosystem management
• environmental and social safeguards
• design and implementation of nature-based solutions projects

The project has supported 165 community-based organizations to take leadership roles in applying ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine protected areas, watershed biodiversity, and community-based fisheries. It has supported their ability to lead reef and mangrove restoration, prevent poaching, and to develop ridge-to-reef adaptation as a rehabilitation approach. Learn more about the .

In Nicaragua, the Canadian government financed a project that boosted investment in gender-responsive, sustainable technology to improve equitable and sustainable livelihoods for women and men smallholder farmers (WFP, $3 million, 2020-2024). This has transformed resilience and economic empowerment in the country—especially for women farmers in traditionally male-dominated rural areas. One of the achievements was a 27% reduction in the use of emergency methods of survival by households, surpassing the initial target by 7%. Of the more than 2,500 beneficiaries, 90% were women, highlighting the project’s success in enhancing women’s economic stability. In addition, the project also:

• enabled more than 4,500 farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture
• doubled the number of female presidents in farmer organizations, boosting women’s representation in decision making
• established 30 women’s economic empowerment groups, involving some 1,000 women, fostering essential skills in financial education and commercialization
• enabled almost 370 women to engage in value-addition activities, achieving an average profit margin of 30% and reducing dependence on climate-sensitive crops

By empowering women and enhancing community resilience, the project has successfully fostered sustainable, gender-responsive agricultural development, leaving beneficiaries better equipped to face economic and environmental challenges. Learn more about the project.

Last year, in Indonesia, a climate-resilient focused project contributed on integrating green growth strategies into provincial development plans by providing training to civil society and women’s rights organizations (World Agroforestry Centre, $17 million, 2021-2025). For example, in South Sumatra, South Sulawesi, and East Nusa Tenggara, strategic environment assessments were improved by incorporating green growth, gender needs, climate change mitigation, sustainable land use, and food security. Through Canada’s support, the project also:

• completed two forest management plans
• developed three hydrology databases
• produced two technical reports on analysis of identification of ground water and critical area for watershed management
• established 52 community-based, women-led agroforestry enterprises
• created 42 demonstration plots and 60 communal kitchen gardens

Forest management plans and hydrology databases in these critical ecosystems strengthen approaches for sustainable use of natural resources, biodiversity protection, and water management. These tools build capacity for communities and local authorities to make informed decisions for enhanced water security, climate and disaster resilience, and sustainable farming practices. Learn more about the project.

Forest management plans and hydrology databases in these critical ecosystems strengthen approaches for sustainable use of natural resources, biodiversity protection, and water management. These tools build capacity for communities and local authorities to make informed decisions for enhanced water security, climate and disaster resilience, and sustainable farming practices.

These initiatives have significantly contributed to advancing sustainable landscape management practices. Working at provincial and community levels at the same time has helped to ensure that provincial officials have the policies, tools and knowledge necessary to support local people. This support aids them as they switch to climate-smart agriculture practices and make their local supply chains more climate-proof.

Alongside 抖淫视频, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) provides climate finance to developing countries under Canada’s $5.3 billion climate finance commitment to support activities that help vulnerable communities mitigate and adapt to climate change. In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada announced several initiatives under this commitment, totalling over $998 million in funding to address climate change internationally. This included:

• $16 million for addressing loss and damage
• $175.25 million for adaptation
• $8.8 million for inclusive climate governance
• $24.2 million for mitigation
• $773.93 million in cross-cutting support

Canada’s climate finance has produced a measurable impact since the launch of the $2.65 billion commitment in 2015. The program expects to reduce or avoid over 514 megatonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and provide over 14 million people with increased resilience to climate change.

This financing is building resilience to climate impacts, improving disaster preparedness and reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and other climate pollutants. This includes transitioning away from unabated coal power. Projects funded through Canada’s climate finance also help facilitate developing countries’ access to climate finance, promote inclusive governance of climate action, and support international collaboration and research on environment and climate action.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Environment and Climate Action

Story of change

Action beyond words - RESTAURacción

RESTAURacción is seeing results take root in Latin America. Canada is helping local communities plant the seeds for a more equitable and sustainable future. Canada invests in wildfire restoration efforts and advancing women's leadership in ecosystem rehabilitation in the region.

Credits: © Imbawula/Triangle Project, Gosego Mosegedi, South Africa, 2023

Inclusive governance

As it focuses on improving state capacity and accountability, inclusive governance is essential to achieving the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. However, it is a broad issue, with notable challenges in many countries, including:

• regional instability and conflict
• the decline of democracy
• the erosion of human rights protections and the growing influence of the anti-gender movement
• the increasing risk of debt crises
• global competition on the rules for international taxation, the regulation of artificial intelligence, and responsible critical mineral supply chains

The Government of Canada continues to advocate for inclusive democratic governance and the protection of human rights. The inclusive governance area aims at contributing to improved equality and the enjoyment of human rights for the poorest, most marginalized and most vulnerable people, particularly women, children and youth, in countries where the Government of Canada engages. To do this, the government has invested in a range of initiatives to:

• promote and protect human rights
• provide equitable access to justice
• enable participation in public life
• ensure public services work for everyone

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $481 million in this action area, of which $397 million is considered official development assistance. Our inclusive governance programming supported 149 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Promoting and protecting human rights

The Government of Canada continued to expand the role labour migration plays in creating stable and inclusive growth in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries through the project (International Labour Organization, $9.5 million, 2015-2025). The goal of the project to maximize the contribution of labour migration to development in the ASEAN region through more equitable distribution of benefits – was achieved by strengthening labour migration governance frameworks and empowering migrant workers to identify and demand their rights to decent work.  In 2023-2024, the project helped bring about the adoption of three key policies at regional and national levels, including an ASEAN declaration on protecting migrant workers in crisis situations, and associated guidelines for their implementation. Other key results included:

• supporting 59 training events and opportunities, which reached more than 2,500 government, employer, worker, and civil society trainees at regional, national, provincial and local levels
• reaching more than 1.5 million people in the ASEAN region on the issue of equitable migrant labour through knowledge products, advocacy and other communication materials
• contributing to the recommendation at the 16th ASEAN Forum on Migrant Labour to make legal migration pathways more equitable and inclusive by addressing violence and discriminatory barriers towards vulnerable workers

Globally, 2SLGBTQI+ people, communities and organizations continue to face discrimination. The Government of Canada is working to support the protection of human rights of 2SLGBTQI+ people in developing countries. The government supported a project with the Commonwealth Equality Network’s (TCEN) secretariat (Kaleidoscope Trust, $625,000, 2021-2026), which exemplifies the transformative power of collective action and strategic partnerships. For example, in 2023-2024, through its work with local partners in Botswana, the project successfully advocated for the adoption of 2SLGBTQI+ responsive healthcare policies. In addition, the project successfully:

• provided training to TCEN member organizations on advocating for the protection and advancement of 2SLGBTQI+ human rights in Commonwealth fora
• conducted research on the diverse lived experiences of 2SLGBTQI+ people in developing countries
• provided technical advice to government officials that highlights 2SLGBTQI+ human rights and issues in Commonwealth countries

Learn more about the project.

Recognizing that fundamental labour rights are an integral part of human rights, the Strengthening Labour Inspection in the Cambodian Garment Sector project made significant strides in advancing human rights by improving working conditions in its travel goods and bag factories in 2023-2024. Funded by Employment and Social Development Canada and implemented by Better Factories Cambodia, the project focused on fostering health and safety compliance in the garment industry through 10 capacity development activities. These activities included training sessions on:

• assessment processes and tools
• needs assessments
• effective workshop design and delivery for trainers
• gender-based violence and harassment awareness for trainers
• curriculum design
• freedom of association, gender equality, and communication and facilitation skills

These activities directly benefited some 100 participants, including 44 provincial labour inspectors, 32 national labour officials, 15 National Institute of Labour trainers, and nine officials from the Textile, Apparel, Footwear and Travel Goods Association in Cambodia and the Cambodia Garment Training Institute. By empowering these individuals, the project has helped strengthen the capacity of labour, occupational safety, and health inspectors to conduct effective inspections, thereby promoting safer and more equitable working environments in Cambodia’s garment factories. 

Providing equitable access to justice

In 2023-2024, a project in Honduras advanced equitable access to justice for women facing gender-based violence as well as marginalized groups such as the 2SLGBTQI+ community (Avocats Sans Frontières Canada, $16.8 million, 2018-2026). The project fosters a legal environment where vulnerable groups can seek fair and equitable justice. For instance, the project enabled the defence of 92 cases, including 34 new cases this year, through sustained support to four dedicated legal offices. This benefited more than 900 individuals, including nearly 450 women. These efforts improved marginalized groups’ access to essential legal supports and directly addressed barriers to justice that disproportionately affect vulnerable populations.

Canada’s support enabled Avocats Sans Frontières Canada to provide critical support to local organizations that document cases of human rights violations against Afro-descendant Garifuna women and those living with HIV. This led to ground-breaking legal actions, including a case on forced sterilizations. This project enhanced the capacity of local organizations to:

• advocate for victims of intersectional discrimination and violence
• champion the rights of marginalized women and hold perpetrators accountable
• establish themselves as recognized legal actors

Through advocacy and strategic partnerships, Avocats Sans Frontières Canada facilitated the repeal of restrictive decrees that had previously hindered corruption investigations. This indirectly promoted a more transparent and accessible justice system in the country. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, a project in Iraq improved access to fair, inclusive, and gender-responsive formal or informal justice institutions and services (UNICEF, nearly $1.8 million, 2022-2024). Through the government’s support, the project provided training to 53 government-supported youth centre staff on preventing sexual exploitation and abuse promoting more inclusive youth development initiatives. This increased participation in government-supported youth centres and fostered the integration of gender perspectives into youth empowerment programming. For example, the project selected more than 900 young people, more than half of whom were girls, to take part in youth advisory groups in Anbar, Baghdad, and Basra. Involving youth in civic engagement activities and community-based initiatives enhanced their access to inclusive and gender-responsive services and empowered them to advocate for their rights and those of their peers. Learn more about the project.

Enabling participation in public life

Last year, the Government of Canada supported a project that contributed $1 million to a multi-donor pooled fund that helped ensure transparency and inclusivity in Sierra Leone’s 2023 electoral cycle, particularly for women, youth, and persons with disabilities (UNDP, $1 million, 2023-2024). In particular, the fund supported capacity building, public awareness promotion, and civic engagement of election management bodies including the Electoral Commission, judiciary, and police. Key activities included:

• training 90 female political hopefuls to increase women’s participation and address gender disparities in politics
• engaging over 32,000 youth through sensitization activities
• training 1,800 local electoral education committee members to enhance community engagement and support the participation of persons with disabilities in elections

The project made use of a digital platform that fact-checked 270 requests from the public on various questions related to the electoral process. This helped combat misinformation and disinformation and promote fact-based public discourse. As the result of these elections, 41 women have been elected as Members of Parliament, a significant increase from the 17 women elected in the previous elections. Another 167 women were also elected to local councils, the highest percentage in the country’s history. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada supported an initiative that helped increase political empowerment and enjoyment of rights in Pakistan (Trust for Democratic Education and Accountability, $5 million, 2019-2023). Specifically, this project targeted young women, marginalized groups, and those at risk. In 2023-2024, the project enabled more than 59,000 women to obtain their official identity documents and register as voters, which brought the total number of women supported to almost 300,000 since the project began. Learn more about the initiative.

Ensuring public services work for everyone

In South Africa, the Government of Canada supported a project to strengthen ethics and integrity (Cowater International Inc., $5.9 million, 2018-2025). The government helped to establish South Africa’s Public Administration Ethics, Integrity, and Management Unit. More specifically, the Government of Canada assisted the new unit in creating a business model, securing funding, and hiring the necessary staff. As of March 2024, the project has helped the South African government by:

• providing technical support to 36 departments
• training over 2,500 public servants
• establishing national anti-harassment policies
• developing a conflict-of-interest guide
• creating a disciplinary management strategy and launching a dedicated website

Through these efforts, and enhancing ethics management, policy compliance, and advisory capabilities on corruption, the project contributes to strengthening the public service. Learn more about the project.

In Lebanon, Canada’s support to several projects is enhancing decision making, participation and leadership for women and youth as well as promoting gender equality and social inclusion. In 2023-2024, these projects have each achieved targets that have benefited the most vulnerable and marginalized communities in Lebanon, including women, young girls, and children. For example, a project supported women cooperatives and associations in the agro-food sector (FAO, more than $6.3 million, 2018-2024). It had a significant impact on women’s economic participation and leadership within cooperatives, fostering their decision-making roles in local economies. By supporting 143 small-scale agri-food enterprises, this project benefited more than 2,700 individuals, the majority of whom were women. This resulted in a 177% increase in volume for the businesses and a 191% increase in revenue. Learn more about the project.

In Ghana, a project to improve efficiency and accountability in the delivery of services of 13 selected entities, including the Public Service Commission of Ghana, received critical support in 2023-2024. This support came from $35 million in World Bank funding and technical assistance provided by the Public Service Commission (PSC) of Canada. Among other things, the PSC hosted a delegation from Ghana for a study tour in October 2023. This provided the delegation with a better understanding of the strategies the Government of Canada has adopted to integrate gender mainstreaming and inclusion, and merit-based inclusive recruitment. These activities assisted the Ghana Public Services Commission to identify gaps in its gender implementation policy. It also resulted in progress toward the expected outcome of mainstreamed gender in the Ghana public service and gender inclusion at all levels. As of the project’s conclusion in June 2024, all six institutional gender action plans, including one for the Ghana Public Service Commission, were implemented and completed. Learn more about the project.

As a member of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), Canada Post supports the UPU’s development and cooperation activities. These activities improve the quality of mail service around the world and help to reduce the postal divide between industrialized and developing countries. This includes conducting training for regional postal staff as well as providing postal equipment to least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states. The goal is to address logistical gaps and improve their operational readiness for e-commerce. In 2023-2024, funding also went toward the UPU’s disaster risk management and emergency assistance activities. For example, Ukrainian Post received funding to procure the equipment needed to restore its postal services. Projects were also launched to restore Pakistan’s postal network after flooding in 2022 and to restore services in areas of Türkiye and Syria affected by the 2023 earthquake.

Since the Government of Canada launched the Knowledge Sharing Platform for Tax Administrations (KSPTA) in 2016, it has helped build technical proficiency. It also helped advance professional development for tax administration staff working in developing countries. Led by the Canada Revenue Agency, the program provides access to a wide range of content contributed by leading tax administrations from around the world. The project offers virtual trainingaccess to a community of tax experts and learning materials that provide guidance on best international practices in areas such as gender equality, diversity, inclusion and governance. Another key initiative in 2024 was the regional training on International Taxation and the Extractives Sector, hosted by the OECD and the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development, in partnership with the African Tax Administration Forum and the Asian Development Bank. This training provided over 550 participants the opportunity to learn about recent international tax developments applicable to the extractive industries. It also offered practical ideas to improve mining revenue collection and fostered open discussions with government officials from other countries. The KSPTA. currently has over 36,000 registered users, represented by 209 jurisdictions and 30 regional or international organizations.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada also provided support to developing countries to address tax challenges and enhance domestic resource mobilization. Last year, the Canada Revenue Agency hosted a delegation of six officials from the Direction Générale des Impôts de la Côte d’Ivoire for a four-day study visit. It focused on increasing revenue mobilization and taxpayer compliance, including the use of tools and software. The CRA hosted a delegation of nine officials from the Ghana Revenue Authority for a two-day study visit to increase Ghana's capacity in customer engagement and voluntary tax compliance. The purpose of the visit was to discuss the Canadian experience in voluntary tax compliance, exchange knowledge about Canada Revenue Agency’s service delivery approach, simplified tax processes, and taxpayer education. These study visits increased knowledge and strengthened tax capacity and tax systems in the two countries. Since the Ghanaian delegation’s visit, the Ghana Revenue Authority has provided training to its officials on empathy and client service, as well as shifted its enterprise priorities to focus on voluntary tax compliance and client service excellence.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Inclusive Governance

Others

Story of change

Mobilizing excellence: Tapping into Canadian expertise to respond to needs for technical assistance

Through 抖淫视频’s Technical Assistance Partnership program, experts from across the country are deployed to support developing countries in tackling priorities and challenges.

Credits: © RCMP, Vietnam, 2023

Peace and security

In recent years, armed violence, humanitarian crises, and the threat of terrorism and transnational crime have intensified around the world. Conflicts in the Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa and Eastern Europe have displaced millions of people, destabilized local governance and undermined democracy, safety, infrastructure and economic stability. As chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as cyber threats, grow amid geopolitical instability, there is ongoing and growing need for international assistance to support peace and security objectives.

The Government of Canada has a long history of contributing to global peace, security, and stability. To effectively address evolving security threats and crises, the government provides this assistance through the following specialized programs:

• Peace and Stabilization Operations Program

• Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion

• Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program

• Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program

• Weapons Threat Reduction Program

These programs work in collaboration with the security branches of other government departments and agencies. This collaboration equips Canada with a unique ability to contribute to international stability and achieve its national security and foreign policy priorities. As geo-strategic contexts evolve, these programs continuously adjust to address security challenges, aligning with Canadian interests and priorities.

Through its peace and security programming, the Government of Canada builds local and regional capacity to respond to emerging and evolving issues. This includes engaging directly with fragile and conflict-affected states and addressing proliferation challenges associated with particular states. Peace and security programming is also addressing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats and enhancing cybersecurity, countering terrorism and transnational organized crime, advocating for electoral integrity and fostering global stability and democratic resilience.

Ultimately, this action area aims at increasing peace and security for Canadians and for the poorest, most marginalized and most vulnerable, particularly women and girls, in fragile and conflict-affected settings and situations where the Government of Canada engages. To do this, the government has invested in a range of programs and initiatives that aim to achieve outcomes in the following areas, ensuring a gender responsive and human rights-compliant approach: 

• address violent conflict and fragility 
• reform security systems and reduce security threats 
• strengthen international organizations’ peace and security efforts

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada invested approximately $306 million in this action area, of which $208 million is considered official development assistance. Our peace and security programming supported 151 countries in 2023-2024. The following section provides examples of projects and their impact in this area.

Achievements in the spotlight

Addressing violent conflict and fragility

In 2023-2024, Canada’s Peace and Stabilization Operations Program contributed to improving accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. In Ukraine, a project (UNDP, more than $4.5 million, 2023-2024) helped to support the rights and needs of conflict-related sexual violence survivors. It also involved civil society and women-led organizations in improving system-wide responses at both national and community levels.

Through this project, the Government of Canada helped various UN entities to enhance policies, guidance, and tools to implement conflict-related sexual violence support and the peace and security agenda, as well as to address the root causes of this type of violence against women. In 2023-2024, the project implementers organized scenario-based workshops on strengthening victim-centred accountability for conflict-related sexual violence crimes in Ukraine. During these workshops, 75 investigators, prosecutors and judges from seven regions gained a better understanding of how to investigate and prosecute cases within their national legal framework and in alignment with international best practices. Legal reforms in Ukraine included drafting law 9351, the Law on the Protection of Victims of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence. This law advocates for the inclusion of “crimes against humanity” provisions in the Criminal Code to strengthen justice for conflict-related sexual violence violations, and efforts to improve procedures for pre-trial investigations and court proceedings in criminal cases. Furthermore, 192 media and communication experts, two-thirds of whom were women, received training on survivor-centred, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed media and on the reporting of conflict-related sexual violence cases in an ethical manner. During this training, participants also discussed developing a national clinical management protocol and forensic procedures for rape. Through the project, the WHO trained 230 primary healthcare doctors across 10 regions of Ukraine on conflict-related sexual violence and gender-based violence services. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, Canada’s Office of Human Rights, Freedoms, and Inclusion Program funded a project (Transparency International [TI], nearly $2.3 million, 2023-2026) that enhanced political finance transparency and gender equality in Indonesia and Venezuela.

In Indonesia, the program engaged almost 44,000 individuals in a pre-election monitoring campaign across 11 cities. This campaign revealed discrepancies between reported and actual political party funding, including gender-based financial inequalities. This resulted in the formation of a coalition to push for greater accountability in Indonesia’s 2024 general and regional elections, with 14 media outlets reporting on findings. In Venezuela, TI initiated a broad scale pre-election skills-building program aimed at better informing citizens based on evidence and strengthening accountability mechanisms for a fair election. The project enabled 40 civil society members to use monitoring tools to highlight state resource abuses and electoral fraud. The program led to the documentation of over 300 state neutrality violations. Almost 500 individuals, civil society members, political party representatives, and independents participated in a series of 28 workshops on political finance violations and accountability. Collectively, these processes resulted in better informed citizens and strengthened accountability mechanisms. 

By September 2024, the program conducted five regional consultations involving 52 TI chapters as well as a global event involving 26 organizations. It resulted in policy recommendations on implementing a new Global Standard on Political Finance Integrity and Gender Equality. The recommendations were based on expert reviews of incumbency abuse, financial barriers for women, and illicit financing. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the Government of Canada continued to meet its commitment to build a more secure world through the Canadian Policing Arrangement. As part of this arrangement, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s (RCMP) deployed over 40 Canadian police personnel to 12 international missions in ten countries. These deployments helped rebuild or strengthen police services in countries experiencing conflict or upheaval. For example, personnel deployed to the Specialized Police Team on sexual and gender-based violence in the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo delivered 23 training sessions to more than 400 members of the Congolese National Police. These training sessions enhanced the capacity of local law enforcement to aid victims of gender-based sexual violence, while also maintaining and promoting peace and security and the protection of all civilians.

In Mozambique, the Government of Canada supported a project to strengthen the resilience of both internally displaced people and host communities (UN-HABITAT, $2 million, 2022-2025). The northern Mozambican province of Cabo Delgado has been suffering from an armed insurgency since 2017, resulting in thousands of deaths and over a million people displaced. With the support of local authorities, the project worked with displaced women and girls in the city of Pemba to help them deal with the challenges of a massive population increase. In 2023-2024, this included such activities as:

• facilitating participatory and gender-inclusive neighbourhood-level planning
• supporting social services provision and management
• promoting community construction of prioritized infrastructure and public services
• building the capacity of local authorities and communities

This project has improved living conditions for vulnerable women and girls within host communities. For example, the project led to the completion of designs for eight community buildings to house internally displaced people and host communities in Pemba. It resulted in the implementation of community-based mental health and psychosocial support activities for displaced populations and host communities. In addition, the project trained 200 women from Pemba’s Mahate neighbourhood on economic empowerment, particularly business management and local associations creation. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, a project helped to empower women, girls, and other vulnerable individuals in Mali by promoting human rights, gender equality, and peace (Avocats Sans Frontières Canada, $16 million, 2021-2026). The project supports over 500,000 people through education campaigns, legal and psychological services, conflict prevention and legal training. As of March 2024, more than 12,000 people were able to improve their capacity to advance human rights and another 28,500 used mobile clinic services. As a result of the project:

• 12 human rights violation cases are now in progress
• 12 civil society organizations were supported
• 62 advocacy actions were carried out 
• 46 radio broadcasts raised awareness about forced marriage and sexual violence
• 575 change agents were trained on advocating for gender equality and human rights in their communities

Though ongoing political instability and security challenges necessitate continued efforts to empower women and ensure their voices are integral to reconciliation processes in Mali, the project progressed in promoting the participation of women, girls, and other vulnerable populations in peacebuilding and decision-making processes. Learn more about the project.

Reforming security systems and reducing security threats

In 2023-2024, Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program continued to strengthen the global response to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as threats posed by conventional weapons. For instance, the Government of Canada partnered with the World Institute of Nuclear Security on a cross-regional project to improve the management of nuclear and radiological security threats by nuclear security professionals (World Institute for Nuclear Security, nearly $4.8 million, 2021-2023). It focused on providing equitable opportunities for women in the nuclear security sector. As of January 2024, a majority of participating survey respondents (75% of women and 81% of men) reported that they had improved their overall performance as nuclear security professionals as a result of the project. Moreover, 88% of respondents on the project’s cybersecurity courses and 83% of survey respondents on its transport security courses reported improvements in their ability to address threats and risks in these areas, thereby reducing the risk of nuclear and radiological materials being diverted to malicious uses. Learn more about the project.

Last year, the Government of Canada continued to actively cooperate with liked-minded partners to address security threats around the world. The Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program funded a project (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime [UNDPO] and Canada Border Services Agency, nearly $3.1 million, 2023-2026) to address the global synthetic drug problem. It provided training and equipment to frontline officials and forensic experts to improve national and regional responses to counter the synthetic drug threat in Latin America and the Caribbean. By 2023, 13 countries had conducted 58,000 drug scans using new machines provided through this initiative. This led to a significant increase in large-scale drug seizures (88 kg in 2023 versus 11.6 kg in 2022) and the identification of 92 new psychoactive substances. Through the project:

• 195 forensic experts from 12 countries were trained
• 590 forensic and law enforcement personnel were reached through online tools
• nearly 1,900 participants were provided online learning

In addition, the project played a part in legislative changes in Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Trinidad and Tobago, leading to the control of 44 new synthetic drugs. Learn more about the project.

Through the Counter-terrorism Capacity Building Program, the Government of Canada funded a project (International Criminal Police Organization [INTERPOL], over $2 million, 2023-2025; INTERPOL, over $1.8 million, 2023-2025) to foster capabilities against terrorism in the Middle East and North Africa. The project delivered specialized training, technical support, and equipment to law enforcement officers from across the Middle East and North Africa. As a result, almost 350 frontline officers from Lebanon, Jordan, Libya, and Algeria received training on INTERPOL’s capabilities, tools and equipment and participated in three regional operations, which resulted in:

• over 12 million crosschecks
• 70 terrorism-related hits against INTERPOL databases
• over 3,000 kg of cocaine seized
• the dismantling of several criminal networks linked to the production of fraudulent travel documents and the trafficking of illicit firearms and luxury cars

By working with multilateral organizations to support targeted regional or country programs, the Government of Canada enhanced the capacity of beneficiary states to investigate and respond to threats posed by terrorism and transnational crime. Learn more about the and the .

Strengthening international organizations’ peace and security efforts

In 2023-2024, Canada’s assistance increased access to pre-deployment peacekeeping training and improved the ability of peacekeepers to perform their in-mission duties. The Government of Canada’s support to the Elsie Initiative for Women in Peace Operations enabled the UN to address barriers to the meaningful participation of uniformed women in UN peacekeeping operations. For example, Canada’s Peace and Stabilization Operations Program funded a project to develop, implement and integrate gender-responsive designs and guidelines in UN camp accommodations (United Nations Department of Operational Support, nearly $10 million, 2021-2026). As of September 2023, a total of 13 UN missions reported implementation of many of the design recommendations, such as gender-responsive improvements to living accommodations, bathing areas, and recreational spaces. These improvements promote inclusive UN missions for uniformed women, contributing to well-being and meaningful participation in peacekeeping missions. Learn more about the project.

Through the Elsie Initiative, the Government of Canada supported a project to promote gender-sensitive strategies, policies and training for peacekeeping through the UN’s Department of Peace Operations (DPO, over $5.2 million, 2022-2025). In 2023-2024, in the context of this project, UN peacekeepers were trained on the measures and strategies needed to accelerate progress on gender parity, diversity and inclusion as well as the prevention and response to sexual exploitation and abuse of uniformed and civilian personnel. According to the DPO, this project has significantly contributed to the sharing of knowledge and the strengthening of policy and guidance. It has improved data collection, analysis and dissemination on gender and women in peace operations across UN Departments of Peace Operations, Operational Support, Management and Compliance. Learn more about the project.

In 2023-2024, the RCMP’s continued to exceed the UN’s target of 30% participation for uniformed women in peacekeeping missions by 2028. In fact, last year, women personnel accounted for approximately 42% of all deployed police officers in the RCMP’s IPP Program. The program includes Pre-Selection Assessment Assistance Training (Pre-SAAT) to enable women police officers to apply for UN peacekeeping missions. Examples of courses include:

• one Pre-SAAT course that was held in Djibouti, with 268 international participants attending
• an all-female Pre-SAAT course that was held in Rwanda, attended by 110 international women officers

Through the delivery of these courses, the RCMP assisted the UN in increasing the number of female police officers deployed on missions.

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Policy

• Action Area Policy: Peace and Security

Others

• Peace and Stabilization Operations Program
• Office of Human Rights, Freedoms and Inclusion
• Anti-Crime Capacity Building Program
• Counter-Terrorism Capacity Building Program
• Weapons Threat Reduction Program

Story of change

Combatting disinformation in elections held in West Africa

Women in politics and local communities participated in focus group discussions with the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ). They discussed to identify the primary causes of online violence and disinformation against women in politics.

Engagement with international financial institutions

Volume 2 of the Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada’s International Assistance 2023-2024 provides information on Canada’s engagement with three international financial institutions (IFIs): the World Bank Group (Section A), the International Monetary Fund (Section B) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Section C). Such information responds to various reporting requirements under the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Agreement (EBRD) Act.

IFIs provide financial and technical assistance to developing country governments, and in some cases private sector actors in these countries, to support poverty reduction and long- term economic development. These investments cover a wide array of sectors, including education, health, public administration, infrastructure, financial and private sector development, agriculture, and environmental and natural resource management. Some IFIs, including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, also support developing countries with policy advice, research and analysis, and capacity-development activities.

Canada provides core contributions to support IFI operations and activities, while also providing funds for specific projects. Canada also actively contributes to the development of IFI policies and provides oversight of IFI financial activities through membership on Boards of Governors and Boards of Directors, the latter bodies dealing with day-to-day decisions. Canada is also involved in the work of various internal committees and engages in meaningful dialogue with other shareholders.

In order to provide strategic direction for its engagement with IFIs, Canada develops key objectives that are informed by Canada’s commitment to multilateralism, foreign policy, and development priorities, and general principles of good governance.

Section A: Canada’s engagement in World Bank Group operations

The World Bank Group’s (WBG) mission is to eliminate extreme poverty by 2030 and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet through inclusive, sustainable economic growth and development. Canada is a founding member of the WBG, which has 189 member countries, and holds a permanent seat on the 25-member Board of Executive Directors. The Canadian Executive Director represents a constituency on the Board that includes Ireland and 11 Commonwealth Caribbean countries. Canada’s largest annual contribution to the World Bank is to the International Development Association (IDA), the Bank’s concessional fund, which provides low interest loans or grants to the poorest member countries. Canada is the sixth largest donor to this fund since its creation in 1960 and has contributed US$14.5 billion to IDA since its inception.

During the reporting period, the WBG provided nearly US$122.9 billion in financing across 90 countries to address the multiple and overlapping crises facing developing countries, including the global food and energy crisis resulting from Russia's unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine. Rising debt burdens, inflation, conflict, and the increasingly severe impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss put at risk progress towards eradicating extreme poverty and bolstering shared prosperity. During the reporting period, the WBG increased its support for climate change mitigation and adaptation, with climate finance reaching a record high of US$29.4 billion, or 40 percent of total financing. The WBG also accelerated the preparation of Country Climate and Development Reports, which are used to advise governments on policy actions to adapt to and mitigate the worst climate impacts. The WBG has made significant progress toward aligning its financing operations with the Paris Agreement goals as of July 1, 2023. In addition, the WBG continues to work with partners to ensure that countries are better prepared for future pandemics through stronger health systems and better access to financing, including through the Pandemic Fund, with $50 million in support from Canada.

In fall 2022, the WBG began a significant reform effort to evolve its mission statement, operating model, and financial capacity to better address the challenges facing developing countries. This entails a greater focus on global challenges, like climate change and biodiversity loss, pandemics, and fragility, conflict and violence. Canada strongly supports the evolution of the WBG and the Bank’s new mission, “to end extreme poverty and boost prosperity on a livable planet”, which is aligned with our international development priorities. The WBG has also taken significant steps to optimize its balance sheet in order to maximize development impact and generate the resources needed to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. At the 2023 Spring Meetings, Governors endorsed new measures to increase the WBG’s financial capacity by approximately $50 billion over the next 10 years. Canada has been a key proponent of these efforts, which are aligned with the recommendations of the G20 Independent Review of MDBs’ Capital Adequacy Frameworks, and is encouraging the WBG to consider further measures to unlock additional financial capacity to support developing countries.

Reporting requirements

The Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act came into force in 1985 to govern Canada’s engagement with the Bretton Woods institutions: the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank Group (that is, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes). The Bretton Woods institutions constitute important channels through which Canada delivers international assistance and supports global economic and financial stability.

As laid out in sections 13 and 14 of the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act, the Minister of Finance is required to table an annual report in Parliament that provides a general summary of operations under the Act and details of operations that directly affect Canada, along with communiqués issued by the institutions’ governing committees. Sections A and B meet these reporting requirements.

For more information, refer to the text of the Bretton Woods and Related Agreements Act on
Justice Canada’s website:

Governance and representation

Canada’s capital subscriptions and shareholding

The World Bank Group is governed by member countries, each of which owns shares of the agencies that make up the World Bank Group. Decision-making power is exercised primarily by countries, through their representative on the Board of Governors and their Executive Directors.

Canada is among the 10 largest shareholders at the World Bank Group. Since the World Bank’s creation in 1945, Canada has contributed a total of US$9.2 billion in capital subscriptions to the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), International Finance Corporation (IFC), and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), and US$14.5 billion in contributions to the International Development Association (IDA) (see Table 1).

Canada’s current voting power ranges from 2.5% to 3.45% within the Bank’s different institutions. Voting power at the Bank is a function of the shareholdings held by a country. A small share of a member’s voting power is also determined by basic votes, which are distributed equally among all members.

Information on the World Bank Group’s 2023-2024 fiscal year (July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024) is provided in the of each entity. Further information on the WBG’s performance can be found on its

Canada at the Board of Governors

Each member appoints a Governor to represent it on the Board of Governors, the highest authority governing the World Bank Group. Governors are responsible for core institutional decisions, such as admitting or suspending members, increasing or decreasing the Bank’s authorized capital stock, determining the distribution of net income, and reviewing financial statements and budgets. Canada’s Governor at the World Bank Group during the reporting period was former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland. During the reporting period Leslie MacLean, Canada’s former Deputy Minister of International Development, was Canada’s Alternate Governor at the World Bank Group. Chris MacLennan, Canada’s current Deputy Minister of International Development, was appointed Alternate Governor on October 10, 2023.

Canada at the Executive Board

Governors delegate responsibility for the day-to-day running of the organization to 25 full-time Executive Directors, located at the WBG’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. Executive Directors are appointed for two years. They each represent a constituency, which can include more than one country. Canada holds one of the 25 seats on the Executive Board and represents a constituency that is also composed of Ireland and 11 Caribbean countries. Representatives of the governments within the constituency provide advice to the Executive Director on issues discussed at the Executive Board. Canada’s Executive Director to the WBG during the reporting period was Katharine Rechico, who was appointed in February 2022.

The Executive Board usually makes decisions by consensus. In the event of a formal vote, however, the relative voting power of individual Executive Directors is based on the shares held by the constituencies they represent. Further information on Canada’s Executive Director’s office can be found on the .

To learn more about the governance of the Executive Board, please visit the World Bank Group’s

Canada at the Development Committee

By virtue of its significant shareholding, Canada’s Governor is also accorded a seat at the Development Committee of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and IMF. The committee meets twice a year, at the Spring Meetings and the Annual Meetings (held in the Fall). The Development Committee is a ministerial-level forum of the World Bank Group and the IMF for intergovernmental consensus-building on development issues and the financial resources required to promote economic development in developing countries.

In 2023-2024, Canada’s Governor tabled two Development Committee statements on behalf of Canada’s constituency, in October 2023 and April 2024. The Governor’s statements highlighted Canada’s priorities at the WBG, including advancing reforms to optimize the financial capacity of the Bank and strengthen its ability to respond to global challenges like climate change. The Statements also highlighted Canada’s support for Ukraine and other priorities such as climate action, biodiversity protection, and gender equality. These statements are made on behalf of the constituency of countries that Canada represents and, as such, reflect the selected priority issues of other members within Canada’s constituency as well. Statements by all Governors can be found on the .

Canada’s financial contributions to the World Bank Group in 2023- 2024

Canada is an important provider of funding to the World Bank Group. In 2023-2024, Canada made the following contributions, which are reported as Canadian official development assistance:

IDA contribution: $486.9 million grant

IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 76 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Strongly aligned with Canada’s international assistance priorities, IDA- financed operations focus on issues such as primary education, basic health services and clean water and sanitation. The 20th replenishment of IDA (IDA20) cover the period July 2022 to June 2025 and focuses on areas that reflect new challenges. This involves five special themes – human capital; climate change; gender and development; fragility, conflict and violence; and jobs and economic transformation, as well as four cross-cutting issues of governance and institutions; crisis preparedness; debt; and technology. IDA provides countries with low-interest loans, interest-free loans and grants based on a country’s level of income and record of success in managing their economy and their ongoing IDA projects.

During the reporting period, Canada provided a grant contribution of $486.9 million, as agreed under the IDA20 replenishment. These contributions support IDA’s efforts to enhance aid effectiveness, finance large regional projects such as infrastructure projects, and provide special assistance for fragile states, while ensuring countries do not take on unsustainable levels of debt.

Multilateral debt relief Initiative: $51.8 million

Under the Multilateral Debt Relief Initiative (MDRI), the World Bank, IMF and African Development Fund (ADF) agreed to cancel 100% of eligible debts owed by heavily indebted poor countries. At the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, United Kingdom, in 2005, Canada and other donor countries agreed to fully compensate the World Bank, IMF and ADF for the debts they cancelled on behalf of poor countries, so as not to undermine the ability of these institutions to provide new financial support to low-income countries. Canada’s total commitment over the 50-year lifespan of the MDRI is $2.5 billion and payments are made annually. Debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative and the MDRI has substantially reduced debt burdens in recipient countries. During the reporting period, Canada provided
$31.2 million to the World Bank and $20.7 million to the ADF for a total of $51.8 million toward the MDRI.

World Bank Group trust funds and financial intermediary funds: $462.27 million

World Bank Group trust funds and financial intermediary funds (FIFs) are effective instruments for channeling donor funding to address key strategic development issues at the country, regional or global level. In particular, trust funds leverage bank funding for development programs, including in post-disaster and post-conflict situations; enable donor and private sector financiers of development activities to partner with the Bank, consistent with harmonization objectives; build capacity to work in innovative areas; and work with civil society organizations. Trust funds can either be single- or multi-donor. Canada contributes to both types, with the majority of its contributions going to multi-donor trust funds. FIFs enable the international community to provide a direct and coordinated response to global priorities such as pandemics, climate change and food security. FIFs often involve innovative financing and governance arrangements as well as flexible designs which enable funds to be raised from multiple sources, both sovereign and private.

Canada’s engagement with the World Bank Group reflects a strong focus on:

• Canada's Feminist International Assistance Policy, which puts the empowerment of women and girls at the centre of its development efforts;
• the poorest countries and countries in conditions of fragility and conflict;
• global public goods, such as health and climate change mitigation; and,
• country operations.

抖淫视频 manages Canada’s trust fund and FIF relationships at the World Bank Group. Table 2 provides a list of 抖淫视频 trust fund and FIF disbursements in 2023-2024.

Objectives and results of Canada’s WBG trust fund and FIF investments

As Canada continues to engage with the World Bank Group through trust fund and FIF arrangements, the effectiveness of these partnerships is assessed to ensure that development outcomes are being achieved. Select initiatives where Canada invested over the reporting period include:

• Global Biodiversity Framework Fund
• Urban Productive Safety Net and Jobs Project in Ethiopia
• Program for Results: Primary Health Care Investment in Ghana

In August 2023, Canada announced it would provide $200 million towards the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund, which was agreed to by Parties in December 2022 in Montreal at the 15th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity (CBD). The GBFF is part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a FIF that serves as a financial mechanism for several environmental conventions. The GBFF is designed to quickly mobilize new resources and disburse them to developing countries to support their efforts to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. Additionally, the new fund has 3 critical innovations: supporting Indigenous and local action to protect and conserve biodiversity, with the goal of devoting as much as 20% of programming toward projects that support these initiatives; delivering 25% of funding through international financial institutions, a key way to increase resources through private sector involvement and to ensure policies are coherent; and prioritizing up to 39% of the fund’s resources to support small island developing states and least developed countries.

In 2023-24, Canada contributed $25.4M to the Urban Productive Safety Net and Jobs Project (UPSNJP) which aims to enhance inclusive growth and develop urban areas in Ethiopia. It supports the Government of Ethiopia's efforts to improve the incomes of targeted poor households and establish an urban safety net mechanism. The project seeks to reduce extreme poverty and food insecurity among the urban poor. The project provides cash transfers to beneficiaries working on public works projects, promotes youth apprenticeships and employment, and links beneficiaries to government services such as health insurance. The project aims to benefit 1.7 million people (60% female) in urban areas, including internally displaced people and refugees, by improving incomes in urban centres across Ethiopia. As of 2024, UPSNJP has increased income, improved urban amenities, and improved overall urban welfare by about 22%. Livelihood training was delivered to 152,077 beneficiaries (65% female). Over 770,397 Internally Displaced Persons have been supported through cash transfers. More than 78,000 youth have participated in life skills training and over 42,000 (70% female) youth have been placed in apprenticeships. 70% of youth who completed the apprenticeship have been employed. Over 160,478 (63% female) elderly and sick beneficiaries are receiving monthly cash transfers and 85% of them receive basic social service linkage services (health, education, psycho-social support etc). Out of the 13,360 homeless individuals supported by the project, 91.4% have been reintegrated with their families and communities.

In 2023-24, Canada contributed $15M to the Program for Results: Primary Health Care Investment that aims to assist Ghana to achieve its primary health care objectives for improved health of Ghanaians, particularly adolescent girls and boys. It seeks to do so by strengthening existing government systems and building capacity at the national, sub- national, and community levels of the public health care system. As of April 2024, 358 networks of health facilities were identified to receive support to better work together to deliver quality primary health care, and preparatory documents such as standards for these networks were developed. Also, 12 policies are to be submitted for verification to the Ministry of Health, including policies on standards of practice, health financing, protocols on basic emergency and neonatal care, family planning, adolescent health, and non-communicable diseases. The revised global emergency obstetric and neonatal care standards were integrated into national standards. As a result of this project, over 25 million Ghanaians have received essential health, nutrition, and population services, and 844,404 deliveries were attended by skilled birth attendants. There has also been an annual increase of 191,244 of family planning acceptors, and an annual increase of 522,101 adolescents using health services at the sub district and community levels.

World Bank procurement from Canada

The Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) works closely with Canadian companies to increase awareness and pursuit of multi-sectoral procurement opportunities at the IFIs. The TCS maintains the Offices of Liaison with International Financial Institutions (OLIFIs). The Washington, D.C., OLIFI helps businesses access WBG procurement opportunities.
Due to data availabilities, this section reflects contract awards for World Bank operational procurement only, and does not include sub-contractor information. It also does not include information for contracts awarded to subsidiaries of Canadian companies which are headquartered outside of Canada.

Communiqués of the Development Committee of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank and IMF (as required under the Bretton Woods Act)

World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings 2023: Development Committee Statement by Chair

April 12, 2023

1. Last October, the World Bank Group (WBG) was asked to prepare an Evolution Roadmap to enhance its capacity to respond to the overlapping crises that are reversing hard-won development gains. This includes a review of its vision and mission, operating model, and financial capacity to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity, address global challenges, and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At our meeting today, Development Committee members took stock of this work. Governors welcomed the ambition and progress to date and look forward to additional constructive work to achieve major milestones by their meeting in October in Marrakech. They expect the Board of Executive Directors and WBG management to finalize a work plan with detailed actions to be taken.
2. Members commended WBG management and staff for responding at scale to the unanticipated crises, with historic surges in development financing that have sustained the fight against poverty. The WBG delivered a record $330 billion during the last three-and-a- half fiscal years. It was also the world’s largest provider of climate finance to developing countries in this period, reaching almost $90 billion, and has outlined its plan for alignment with the Paris Agreement. Governors recognized that WBG programs have contributed to emergency response and longer-term resilience; boosted inclusive and sustainable growth; supported macroeconomic and financial stability; addressed water and energy access; tackled food insecurity and malnutrition; provided assistance for pandemic preparedness and response, including medical supplies and vaccines; expanded social protection for the poor and vulnerable; strengthened education systems; promoted job creation and private sector development; helped countries address debt transparency and sustainability issues; and fostered gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls. They asked the WBG to continue these efforts, while maintaining standards, and reaffirming their commitment to achieving the SDGs. Going forward, members welcomed increased support for nature and biodiversity, and other environmental challenges. They also look forward to the update of the Gender Strategy and the mid-term review of the Fragility, Conflict, and Violence Strategy.
3. Most Development Committee members recognized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has continued to have massive humanitarian consequences and a detrimental impact on the global economy. They have strongly condemned it and call for continued economic support of Ukraine and other countries affected by the war1. They also commended the revised Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment undertaken by the Bank in cooperation with the Ukraine authorities, the European Commission and the UN, and called on continuous support from the Bank and other development partners, including for the early recovery needs (estimated at USD $14 billion) and the needs of the poorest countries affected by the war. There were other views and different assessments of the situation.
4. The WBG’s vision is a world free of poverty. Its goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity will remain at the core of this vision and central to its work. Progress toward these goals requires a stronger focus on sustainability, resilience, and inclusiveness, supported by relevant metrics and targets. Governors welcomed discussions on the provisional updated WBG mission statement and look forward to its finalization.
5. Development Committee members welcomed the proposals to enhance the WBG’s operational model to implement its evolving mission, which should strengthen service to all clients. This agenda covers client engagement, instruments, incentives, and access to concessional resources—including through Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs) and Trust Funds (TFs). The agenda also covers the mobilization of additional finance for development and the Cascade approach. Members welcomed proposals to strengthen the country ownership and country engagement model with stronger analysis, including through country- specific, regional, and global diagnostics; integrated knowledge support; greater outcome orientation and capacity building; updated corporate scorecards; and new results-based financing instruments. They called for a strengthened value proposition for MICs and a renewed focus on low-income countries (LICs), small states, and countries affected by FCV. They also look forward to concrete proposals on financial and non-financial incentives for countries, units, and staff, and encouraged further work to develop the proposed Global Priority Programs, with a focus on clear selection criteria.
6. Governors look forward to options for a strengthened approach to crisis preparedness and response, including contingent instruments to meet surge-financing needs. They called for proposals to deepen strategic partnerships, strengthen regional approaches, and further strengthen implementation of the One WBG approach, with enhanced upstream and strategic engagement. Members called for WBG-wide ambitious and integrated approaches to increasing private capital, facilitating investment, and leveraging the role of the public sector—while improving the business environment. They underscored the role of domestic resource mobilization and called on WBG management to develop ambitious commitments in this area. Governors supported discussions on ways to effectively mobilize and allocate concessional resources, including utilizing existing pools of concessional finance in WBG operations. They also look forward to continued discussions on how to build on the WBG’s core strengths: the country engagement model; the One WBG approach; a strong country presence; global knowledge creation and dissemination; and partnerships, including with the IMF and other Multilateral Development Banks, the United Nations system, bilateral partners, and the private sector.
7. Members are committed to ensuring that the WBG has adequate financial capacity to respond to development challenges and support its expanded mission. They strongly reaffirmed their commitment to boosting the WBG’s financial capacity, including through a revision of IBRD’s minimum Equity-to-Loan Ratio to 19 percent, a Hybrid Capital pilot for capital-market investors, and a scaled-up bilateral guarantee program. Development Committee members expect further updates to the Executive Directors on the implementation of these initiatives, which have the potential to add up to $50 billion of financing capacity over the next ten years. They agreed to consider a proposal to remove the Statutory Lending Limit (SLL) from the Articles of Agreement. Members look forward to continued work to explore the other recommendations of the Capital Adequacy Framework (CAF) Review, while maintaining the ‘triple A’ ratings, Preferred Creditor Treatment, and long-term financial sustainability. This includes making the Global Emerging Markets Database (GEMs) more accessible to private investors; exploring a shareholder portfolio guarantee platform; optimizing the use of FIFs, TFs, and co-financing; balance sheet optimization for IDA; developing options for enhanced callable capital and shareholder-purchased hybrid capital; and exploring a potential voluntary channeling of Special Drawing Rights (SDRs). They recognized the impact that the multiple crises have had on the poorest countries and expressed their strong support to protect IDA resources and will consider an IDA Crisis Facility. Members reiterated the importance of continuing income transfers from IBRD to IDA and avoiding increasing the burden on borrowing countries. They will further discuss and consider options to strengthen IBRD’s financial capacity toward Marrakech and beyond.
8. Governors recognized the tragic loss of life and widespread destruction caused by natural disasters, and most recently by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria. They expressed their deepest sympathies to all the people affected. Members were reassured to see the international community’s swift humanitarian response in cases of devastating natural disasters, and commended the Bank’s damage and needs assessments that have informed the response in Syria and provided timely and targeted support for recovery and reconstruction in Türkiye.
9. Development Committee members expressed their deep appreciation to Mr. David Malpass for his strong and steadfast leadership of the WBG during a historically challenging period, including an unprecedented surge in financing in response to the multiple crises affecting global development outcomes. They value his commitment to the WBG mission, its strategic goals and country-level development outcomes. They also commended his support to staff, as well as his strong leadership, which has made possible the many significant accomplishments during his tenure. Governors wished him every success in his future endeavors. They look forward to the conclusion of the selection process for the next President of the WBG.
10. The Development Committee reiterated its call for greater international cooperation and strengthened multilateralism to safeguard global economic integration.
11. The next meeting of the Development Committee is scheduled for October 2023, in Marrakech, Morocco.

World Bank-IMF Annual Meetings 2023: Development Committee Statement by Chair

October 12, 2023

1. Members expressed their solidarity with the Moroccan and Libyan people and their authorities and offered deep condolences to the families of the earthquake and flooding victims. They called on international partners, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to provide the necessary assistance for reconstruction efforts. They expressed their utmost appreciation to the Government of Morocco for hosting the Annual Meetings in these challenging circumstances.
2. The Development Committee recognized that the world faces formidable development challenges, amplified by multiple global crises that have hit the most vulnerable people hardest. These crises have upended decades of hard-won development progress, and the development community must respond together to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), eliminate poverty, boost shared prosperity, and address global challenges. Members encouraged international financial institutions (IFIs) to work together with the United Nations, policymakers, and public and private partners to meet the SDGs, help ensure that the benefits of sustainable economic growth are equitably distributed, and focus efforts on helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable. They indicated that time is of the essence.
3. Governors endorsed the World Bank’s new vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet. They also endorsed its new mission, to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity on a livable planet by strengthening inclusion, resilience, and sustainability. This vision and mission will underpin a new playbook with solutions to support country priorities and address intertwined global challenges to drive impactful development with speed and scale.
4. The Development Committee was encouraged by the substantial progress on the World Bank Evolution Roadmap, strengthening the Bank’s operational and financial model, enhancing its country-driven model, including agreement on eight global challenges , and the $50 billion of additional lending capacity over the next ten years. Keeping in view the Capital Adequacy Framework review recommendations, they welcomed the reduction of the policy minimum Equity-to-Loan ratio to 19 per cent; the removal of the Statutory Lending Limit from the IBRD Articles; and the increase in limits on bilateral shareholder guarantees. Members acknowledged that Shareholder participation in the Portfolio Guarantee Platform guaranteeing against sovereign default, and in the hybrid capital instrument, will further strengthen IBRD financing capacity. They noted that additional resources will also be mobilized through the pilot issuance of hybrid capital to the market. Members welcomed additional proposals to increase private capital mobilization, including by IFC and MIGA, the enhancements of Country Private Sector Diagnostics, and the launch of the Private Sector Investment Lab. They also welcomed proposals to increase domestic resources mobilization, including through the new Public Finance Reviews. Members recognized the Bank’s ongoing work on crisis preparedness, response, and recovery, including the launch of the Climate Resilient Debt Clause for the most vulnerable borrowers. They also supported the World Bank’s commitment to strengthened and impactful partnerships to help solve development challenges.
5. Beyond Marrakech, further work is needed to complete these ambitious reforms, which could further increase World Bank financing and operational capacity to become a better, bigger, and more effective Bank. This includes increasing private and public resources, while also using knowledge more effectively. Members look forward to finalizing the new World Bank scorecard to drive action for impact at scale with a focus on measurable outcomes and results aligned with the new vision and mission. They look forward to further development of the Global Challenge Programs. Members recognized the transformative impact of the empowerment of women and girls, agreeing that the next phase of Evolution place a greater emphasis on the Bank’s role in driving progress on gender equality and human development. They appreciated the ongoing progress on the strengthening of client engagements through the Country Partnership Framework, and the commitment to strengthen Domestic Resource Mobilization and catalyze private sector investment. While prioritizing the use of concessional finance for IDA countries, they look forward to a framework for financial incentives, including concessionality for IBRD countries to address global challenges, and including through the GPG Fund, based on clear allocation principles being developed by the 2024 Spring Meetings. Members called for the World Bank to explore increased collaboration with Trust Funds and Financial Intermediary Funds (FIFs) to optimize the use of concessional resources. They also supported efforts to enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency to increase the speed, scale, and quality of implementation to better serve all clients, proactively managing risks through the World Bank’s robust environmental, social, and fiduciary standards and accountability mechanisms. Members expect that the new Knowledge Compact for Action, once developed, will facilitate the creation, delivery, and use of knowledge for development outcomes. They called on the World Bank to also work with other Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to establish the Global Emerging Markets Database (GEMs) 2.0 as a standalone entity.
6. Members acknowledged the importance of strengthening IDA and the necessity for the international community to support an ambitious IDA21 that will scale up support to IDA countries. They look forward to the IDA20 Mid-Term Review in December. They called on existing and new donors to pledge to the IDA Crisis Response Window Plus by the end of the calendar year and commended all donors who have already made their pledges.
7. Governors encouraged the further exploration of options to strengthen IBRD’s financing capacity. They also called to further build up work on people and culture, aligning incentives with evolution reforms and assessing the staffing and budgetary implications of all proposals. They expect an update on the implementation of the Evolution Roadmap by April 2024. Members indicated that meeting these challenges will require a better and bigger Bank, working as one World Bank.
8. Members welcomed the recent Joint Statement of the World Bank President and the IMF Managing Director on enhancing Bank-Fund collaboration. They also welcomed reinforcing partnerships through Trust Funds and FIFs and with the UN system, by launching the Partnership Charter. They commended the partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank to enhance collaboration and to drive stronger results. They look forward to similar partnerships with the other MDBs.
9. Members called on the World Bank and the IMF to work closely together on debt sustainability. They recognized World Bank and IMF collaboration, within their respective mandates, together with the Paris Club and G20 non-Paris Club creditors, to support the implementation of the Common Framework for eligible countries and ad hoc debt restructuring processes for vulnerable middle-income countries. They reaffirmed the importance of joint efforts by all actors, including private creditors, to continue working to enhance debt management and transparency.
10. Governors also called for the World Bank to further strengthen its engagement and collaboration with partners and clients to lead, respond, and share knowledge on issues including climate change adaptation, mitigation, and biodiversity. Following the recent Paris Summit, Africa Climate Summit, G20 Leaders’ Summit, and UN SDG and Financing for Development Summits, they look forward to the upcoming 2023 UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai/COP28.
11. Members noted with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world. They urged the Bank to act with decisiveness, including as a convening power in situations of Fragility, Conflict, and Violence (FCV) around the world, in line with the Bank’s FCV Strategy, while ensuring that no one is left behind.
12. Most Development Committee members supported the G20 New Delhi Leader’s Declaration language on the planet, people, peace and prosperity as follows:
13. We note with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world.
14. Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly (A/RES/ES-11/1 and A/RES/ES-11/6) and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.
15. Reaffirming that the G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation, and recognizing that while the G20 is not the platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues, we acknowledge that these issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.
16. We highlighted the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation and growth, which has complicated the policy environment for countries, especially developing and least developed countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption which has derailed progress towards the SDGs. There were different views and assessments of the situation.
17. We appreciate the efforts of Türkiye and UN-brokered Istanbul Agreements consisting of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the Secretariat of the United Nations on Promoting Russian Food Products and Fertilizers to the World Markets and the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports (Black Sea Initiative), and call for their full, timely and effective implementation to ensure the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine. This is necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa.
18. In this context, emphasizing the importance of sustaining food and energy security, we called for the cessation of military destruction or other attacks on relevant infrastructure. We also expressed deep concern about the adverse impact that conflicts have on the security of civilians thereby exacerbating existing socio-economic fragilities and vulnerabilities and hindering an effective humanitarian response.
19. We call on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical. We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations in the spirit of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’.
20. Today’s era must not be of war.
21. The next meeting of the Development Committee is scheduled for April 2024, in Washington, D.C.

Section B: Canada’s engagement in International Monetary
Fund operations

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is the central multilateral institution in the international financial system. Its role is to provide global economic surveillance, capacity development assistance, and financial assistance to countries experiencing unsustainable external imbalances and related economic difficulties.

Canada has been an influential member of the IMF since 1945, as one of the original 29 signatories to the IMF Articles of Agreement. Since then, the IMF has grown to include a near-global membership of 191 member countries. Canada is engaged in all aspects of IMF governance and activities, and plays a collaborative role with its international partners to ensure that the Fund is effectively fulfilling its mandate. A healthy and stable global economy creates more jobs for Canadians, promotes stable prices for goods and services, and improves our standard of living.

With Canada’s support, the IMF has taken a number of actions to assist Ukraine in the face of
Russia’s unjustifiable and illegal invasion:

• In April 2022, the IMF created a new Administered Account for Ukraine, championed by Canada. The Account allows IMF member countries to provide flexible bilateral financing directly to the Government of Ukraine. Canada, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands have all made significant contributions through this facility so far. During the reporting period, Canada contributed $2 billion to Ukraine through this Account.
• The IMF created a Food Shock Window (FSW) to permit Ukraine and other eligible countries suffering from significantly higher food prices as a result of Russia’s invasion to access additional emergency financing. Ukraine received US$1.3 billion from the IMF through this facility. Other affected countries, including in Africa and the Americas such as Malawi, South Sudan, and Haiti, have received financing through this window as well. On June 30, 2023, the IMF Executive Board approved the extension of the FSW until end-March 2024.
• On March 31, 2023, the IMF approved a 4-year US$15.3 billion support program for Ukraine. This program remained on track, with Ukraine successfully concluding three reviews and receiving about US$2.7 billion in disbursements during the reporting period.

This response from the IMF is a demonstration of the international community’s support for Ukraine, and helped the Government of Ukraine sustain government operations and continue to provide essential services. Canada has been, and will remain, a strong advocate for Ukraine at the IMF.

The IMF also provided policy advice and technical assistance to its members to help them address urgent issues such as cash management, financial supervision, cybersecurity, and economic governance. These activities helped stabilize the global economy and will promote a stronger, more sustainable, and more inclusive post-COVID-19 recovery.

Following the IMF’s historic 2021 SDR allocation of US$650 billion, Canada and other G7/G20 Leaders agreed to magnify the impact of the allocation by committing to channel the equivalent of US$100 billion to vulnerable and low-income countries. While Canada initially committed to channeling 20% of its SDR allocation, Canada has not only met but exceeded this commitment. The total amount channeled represents about 60% of Canada’s 2021 SDR allocation, including more than $4.7 billion in total contributions to the core IMF trusts (the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust - PRGT and the Resilience and Sustainability Trust - RST).

Governance and representation

Canada’s voting share

Member countries’ voting shares are based largely on their relative global economic weight and openness to international trade. Canada holds a 2.22% IMF voting share, making Canada the 11th-largest member during the reporting period.

Canada at the Board of Governors

The IMF is accountable to its member countries through a number of mechanisms. The Board of Governors, composed of a Governor and an Alternate Governor appointed by each member country, is the IMF’s highest decision-making body. The Board of Governors is responsible for the most important institutional decisions required under the Articles of Agreement (e.g., approving quota increases, admitting new members, and amending Articles and by-laws). Canada’s Governor at the IMF during the reporting period was former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland. The position of Alternate IMF Governor was held by Tiff Macklem, Governor of the Bank of Canada.

Canada at the Executive Board

The Board of Governors delegates authority over the IMF’s regular business to the Executive Board, which is chaired by the IMF’s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. The constituency system allows Board members to represent all 191 member countries, making it easier to conduct day-to-day business.

Canada holds one of the seats on the Executive Board and represents a constituency of 12 countries^{Footnote 4} With all constituency members combined, the Executive Director for Canada holds a voting power of 3.37%—making it the 12th-largest constituency by voting share. Given Canada’s financial contributions and level of IMF engagement, a Canadian has always held the Executive Director position within this constituency. Canada’s Executive Director during the reporting period was Philip John Jennings. The Executive Director is supported by a staff of seconded individuals from the countries represented within our constituency.

The Executive Board usually operates on a consensus basis, so formal votes are rare. Canada contributes to the development of policy proposals before they are brought to the Board through informal discussions with staff and management, or through consultation with other members of the Executive Board.

To learn more about the governance, representation and accountability structures of the IMF, please visit the

Canada at the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC)

The IMFC advises and reports to the Board of Governors on international monetary and financial matters, and emerging issues of global importance. While it has no formal decision- making powers, it plays an important role in setting the strategic direction of the Fund. The composition of the IMFC mirrors that of the Executive Board, with Canada’s Minister of Finance occupying one of the seats at the IMFC table. Nadia Calviño, Spain’s First Vice President and Minister for Economy and Digitalization, served as IMFC Chair for the reporting period. The IMFC usually meets twice a year, during the IMF-World Bank Annual and Spring Meetings, and usually issues communiqués providing strategic direction and policy guidance to the IMF Managing Director and the Executive Board. When the IMFC is not able to reach consensus on a communiqué, the IMFC Chair may release a statement. The IMFC Chair’s Statements for the reporting period are included below and also published on the IMF website^{Footnote 5}. Canada's Minister of Finance also tables written statements on behalf of Canada’s constituency during the IMF-World Bank Annual and Spring Meetings that outline collective priorities for the activities of the Fund. The constituency’s statements for the reporting period are published on the IMF website^{Footnote 6}.

IMF resources, lending, and capacity development

IMF financial resources

The IMF’s total financial resources are composed of both permanent and temporary resources. Members’ permanent quota^{Footnote 7} subscriptions are the primary component of IMF financial resources. These resources are supplemented by the New Arrangements to Borrow (NAB), a renewable multilateral borrowing arrangement (in which Canada participates along with 40 other members) that forms a second line of defence for the IMF. Additionally, the IMF maintains temporary bilateral borrowing arrangements (BBAs) with 42 members (including Canada), which serve as a third line of defence. In the event of a major global economic crisis, the Fund can draw on these multilateral and bilateral lines of credit after all other resources have been effectively depleted. Further information can be found on the

On December 15, 2023, the Board of Governors of the IMF concluded the 16th General Review of Quotas (GRQ) and approved a 50% equiproportional increase in IMF members' quotas (without changing individual members' quota shares) and a rollback of the NAB. This increase will become effective once consent is received from members representing 85% of total voting power for quotas and 90% for the amounts of NAB participants. Upon effectiveness, NAB resources will be reduced, and the BBAs will be phased out. Canada's new quota will be SDR 16.5 billion, while the NAB amount will be reduced to SDR 6.5 billion. To ensure the IMF remains well-resourced in the interim, the BBAs have been extended to December 31, 2027, or until the GRQ becomes effective, whichever comes first. Additionally, the IMF Board has begun engaging with NAB participants about extending the NAB starting January 1, 2026, either at the current level or at the new level, depending on the status of the members’ consents.

While the resources outlined above can be used to support the macroeconomic adjustment needs of any member country, the IMF also maintains trust funds to enable concessional lending to the poorest and most vulnerable members^{Footnote 8}. The PRGT is financed through loan and grant contributions from members such as Canada, as well as through IMF investment income.

In addition, in October 2022 Canada supported the creation of the IMF Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), which complements the Fund’s toolkit by providing longer-term affordable financing to low-income and vulnerable middle-income countries to address longer-term challenges, including climate change and pandemic preparedness. The RST is a loan-based trust with a governance and financial structure similar to the PRGT^{Footnote 9}.

IMF financial operations are conducted in Special Drawing Rights (SDR)^{Footnote 10}, an international reserve asset created by the IMF to supplement the existing official reserves of member countries. Table 6 summarizes the IMF’s financial resources, and Canada’s commitments and financial position at the Fund as of March 31, 2024. Additional information can be found in the .Lending arrangements

IMF lending programs

The IMF makes its resources available to help members finance temporary balance of payments problems while they implement economic policy adjustments. To provide this assistance, the IMF utilizes two types of lending arrangements: non-concessional lending that is available to all members, and concessional lending available to qualifying low-income and vulnerable member countries. Non-concessional lending is financed out of the Fund’s normal resources grouped under the General Resources Account (GRA), whereas concessional lending is financed out of the PRGT. The same approach is used with respect to the RST.

Lending arrangements

During the reporting period, the IMF approved 9 new non-concessional lending arrangements totalling SDR 36.7 billion (approximately $65.8 billion). As of March 31, 2024, there were 32 active non-concessional arrangements with the Fund, with a total commitment of SDR 124.6 billion and total credit outstanding of SDR 75.5 billion (approximately $223.4 billion and
$135.4 billion respectively).

The IMF also approved 13 new concessional arrangements under the PRGT, amounting overall to SDR 5.1 billion (approximately $9.1 billion). As of March 31, 2024, there were 32 active PRGT arrangements with a total committed amount of SDR 12.9 billion and total outstanding amount of SDR 15 billion (about $23.1 billion and $26.9 billion respectively).

During the same period, the IMF approved 13 arrangements under the new RST amounting to SDR 3.8 billion (about $6.8 billion). As of March 31, 2024, there were 18 active RST arrangements with a total committed amount of SDR 6.3 billion and total outstanding amount of SDR 1.5 billion (about $11.3 billion and $2.3 billion respectively).

Table 7 provides a summary of new IMF lending arrangements approved in 2023-24.
A complete list of the IMF’s lending arrangements as of March 31, 2024 is available in its annual report and on the .^{Footnote 14}

Canada is a strong supporter of the IMF trusts. During the reporting period Canada and the IMF signed an agreement for an additional SDR 700 million loan to the PRGT, bringing Canada’s overall commitment to the PRGT to SDR 2.7 billion.

Capacity development

For over 50 years, the IMF’s capacity development (CD) work has helped members strengthen the ability of domestic institutions to foster effective policies, leading to greater economic stability and growth. IMF CD activities are both internally and externally financed. They account for about a third of the IMF's total budget. As of April 30, 2024, total spending for direct technical advice, policy-oriented training and peer learning in FY 2024 was US$382million. For more information, see

Canada’s contributions to capacity development

External partnerships allow the IMF to scale up its capacity building efforts for members in need. Canada has historically been among the largest external contributors to IMF CD activities, providing approximately US$119 million (approximately $161 million) since 2012. Notably, in October 2023, Canada announced its commitment to renew funding to the IMF’s Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), which will enable its next phase of work supporting Canada’s IMF and World Bank constituency members. This support has helped low- and middle-income countries build capacity in areas such as central bank functions, public financial management, debt management, and financial sector development and oversight. Canadian-financed CD is generally delivered in three distinct ways:

1. Regional Technical Assistance Centres (RTACs): The IMF has developed a regionally tailored approach to CD delivery. In addition to the training offered at the IMF Institute for Capacity Development in Washington, D.C., the IMF operates seven regional training institutes and nine RTACs in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, China, the Middle East, and the Pacific. As the largest donor to the Caribbean Regional Technical Assistance Centre (CARTAC), Canada has contributed nearly US$67 million (approximately $90.8 million) over the last 20 years, and in October 2023 announced an additional $15 million to support Phase VI of CARTAC’s work. CARTAC provides specialized capacity development that is valued by participating Caribbean countries and territories. This is in line with Canada’s commitment to support small island developing states in the Caribbean. For more information, see
2. Country-directed initiatives: Member countries, other IFIs, and IMF project financing vehicles (e.g., RTACs, multi-donor trust funds, and country-specific trusts) can maintain “subaccounts” for targeted technical assistance initiatives and/or retaining a strategic reserve for rapid response to emerging priorities. Canada maintains a subaccount to support various CD activities in the Caribbean, Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa.
3. Multi-donor trust funds: The IMF manages several thematic funds. Examples include the Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) Fund, along with others that focus on improving data availability, public debt management, and other public financial management issues. Canada is also supporting the AML/CFT Thematic Trust Fund and the IMF-Somalia Trust Fund for Capacity Development. For more information see .

Additional details on IMF operations (including IMF surveillance, lending, capacity building, and institutional governance) are available on the

Chair’s Statements of the International Monetary and Financial Committee of the Board of Governors of the IMF (as required under the Bretton Woods Act)

Chair’s Statement of the Forty-Seventh Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC)

April 14, 2023

Chaired by Ms. Nadia Calviño, First Vice President of Spain and Minister for Economy and Digitalization

Since February 2022, we have witnessed the war in Ukraine further adversely impact the global economy. There was a discussion on the issue. We reiterated our national positions as expressed in other fora, including the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, which, in Resolution No. ES-11/1 dated 2 March 2022, as adopted by majority vote (141 votes for, 5 against, 35 abstentions, 12 absent), deplores in the strongest terms the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine and demands its complete and unconditional withdrawal from the territory of Ukraine. Most members strongly condemned the war in Ukraine and stressed that it is causing immense human suffering and exacerbating existing fragilities in the global economy - constraining growth, increasing inflation, disrupting supply chains, heightening energy and food insecurity, and elevating financial stability risks. There were other views and different assessments of the situation and sanctions. Recognizing that the IMFC is not the forum to resolve security issues, we acknowledge that security issues can have significant consequences for the global economy.

It is essential to uphold international law and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and adhering to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians and infrastructure in armed conflicts. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, efforts to address crises, as well as diplomacy and dialogue, are vital. Today's era must not be of war.

We express our deepest sympathies to the people of Türkiye and Syria for the tragic loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the devastating earthquakes in February 2023, and to the people of Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar for the loss of life and devastation caused by tropical cyclone Freddy in February and March 2023.

The global outlook faces increased uncertainty. So far, the global economy has shown resilience, and the worst macroeconomic outcomes contemplated in the Fall have not materialized. Nevertheless, the growth outlook remains subdued and downside risks have increased. Successive shocks, including Russia’s war against Ukraine, in the context of tightening monetary policy stances needed to bring down inflation, are weighing on the recovery and macro-financial stability, as shown by recent banking and financial-market stress episodes. Inflation has moderated somewhat, but underlying price pressures remain sticky. Debt vulnerabilities are elevated, while food and energy insecurity persist, affecting vulnerable countries and people the most. In addition, inequality is increasing, climate shocks are intensifying, and fragmentation risks are rising.

In this uncertain global context, decisive, well-calibrated, and agile policies tailored to country-specific circumstances are key to entrench a sustainable recovery, safeguard macroeconomic and global financial stability, support the vulnerable, and strengthen resilience. Policymakers have taken swift actions to strengthen confidence in the banking system, which remains sound and resilient, supported by the reforms implemented after the 2008-09 global financial crisis. Our priorities are to reduce inflation, maintain financial stability, rebuild fiscal buffers while reinforcing social safety nets to protect the most vulnerable, and bolster inclusive long-term growth. In line with their respective mandates, central banks remain strongly committed to achieving price stability and ensuring that inflation expectations stay well anchored, while carefully calibrating the pace of tightening in a data- dependent manner and communicating policy objectives clearly. They will work closely with supervisory and regulatory authorities, both to monitor financial sector developments and deploy appropriate policy instruments within their full toolkit, to ensure financial stability. We also stand ready to deploy macroprudential policies to guard against systemic risks and, where relevant, we will address data, supervisory, and regulatory gaps in the bank and in particular the non-bank financial sectors, where further progress in addressing vulnerabilities is important. Fiscal policy will continue to reduce elevated debt levels over the medium term, where needed. We will continue to support vulnerable groups from the effects of multiple shocks through well-targeted and temporary measures that preserve price signals, while ensuring fiscal sustainability. We will ensure coherence of the overall monetary and fiscal stances, with due consideration to the role of structural policies in easing trade-offs, including, where relevant, growth-enhancing reforms to strengthen labor markets, improve the investment climate, advance economic diversification, and strengthen sustainable, affordable and accessible energy markets. We reiterate our commitment on exchange rates, excessive global imbalances and governance, and our statement on the rules-based trading system, as made in April 2021, reaffirming our commitment to avoid protectionist measures.

International cooperation and strengthened multilateralism are essential to bolster global growth, protect the stability of the International Monetary System, address persisting health risks, and accelerate mutually reinforcing efforts toward a green, digital, and inclusive future. Our efforts are firmly directed toward overcoming the food crisis, where we will focus on lifting trade restrictions on food and fertilizers, as well as promoting sustainable investment to strengthen production and agricultural value chains in vulnerable economies. We will also continue to support vulnerable countries as they address their financing needs and debt vulnerabilities. Mobilizing further concessional support for Low-Income Countries is urgent. We reiterate our strong resolve to further accelerate climate action in line with the Paris Agreement and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commitments, taking into account country-specific circumstances. We look forward to strong ambition for the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to ensure timely, smooth, and just transitions to net zero. We will utilize policy mixes based on all effective tools, ranging from fiscal, market, and regulatory actions, including efficient policy instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting the most vulnerable groups. We note the need to gradually adapt energy markets and systems, and promote the role of renewables as part of the energy mix, as well as strengthening the social support to green and sustainable transitions. Along with strong climate policies, we also recognize the importance of stepping up climate finance from all sources, including by mobilizing private investment, to support both adaptation and mitigation efforts. We will ensure that digital transformation plays a key role in making our economies more resilient and inclusive, being mindful of cyber resilience, data protection, data sharing, interoperability, and portability. We will work toward a well- designed, financial ecosystem to increase competition and expand access on fair, transparent terms, which can foster financial inclusion and productivity gains. We will also work together to make cross-border payments faster, more cost-effective, safer, transparent, and inclusive, considering the G20 Roadmap for Enhancing Cross-Border Payments. We will ensure that the crypto-assets ecosystem, including so-called stablecoins, is closely monitored and subject to robust regulation, supervision, and oversight.

We welcome the Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda.

We support the IMF’s surveillance focus on tailored advice to respond to ongoing challenges, supported by in-depth analysis. We support the IMF’s policy advice and analytical work on policies to address financial sector vulnerabilities; contain inflation, including monetary-fiscal interactions and policy responses to commodity-price shocks; the interplay between capital flows, capital flow management measures, and crises; fiscal policies to tackle elevated debt levels; and the impact of geo-economic fragmentation. In light of recent financial turbulence and increased financial stability risks, we support the IMF’s continued efforts to upgrade macro-financial surveillance, with focus on strengthening systemic risk analysis and policy advice to help members manage risks. We also support the IMF’s ongoing work to operationalize the Integrated Policy Framework, guiding members on the appropriate use of multiple policy tools to deal with spillovers, shocks, and multiple risks, taking into account country-specific circumstances and in line with the Institutional View. We welcome the recently completed review of the Framework for Enhanced Fund Engagement on Governance, which reaffirms the criticality of IMF’s policy advice to strengthen governance and address macro-critical corruption issues in domestic and transnational contexts and the importance of evenhanded engagement across members. We also welcome the review of the Role of Trade in the Work of the Fund and welcome additional surveillance on macro-critical impacts of trade policy and advice on increasing supply-chain resilience. We look forward to the upcoming review of the Fund’s Strategy on Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financing of Terrorism, which will explore ways to strengthen its support to members, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and FATF-Style Regional Bodies, to promote the integrity and stability of the international financial system.

The IMF’s role in providing financial support is critical, including on a precautionary basis to help members address balance of payments needs. We welcome the IMF’s strong policy and financial support to low-income countries, including those benefiting from the new temporary food shock window and under Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust-supported programs. We will ensure that the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust can continue to provide strong support to meet the growing needs of low-income countries in the coming years. We will redouble our efforts to reach, by the 2023 Annual Meetings, the agreed 2021 fundraising targets for the subsidy and loan resources for the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust. These resources need to be mobilized from a broad range of members—including through voluntary Special Drawing Rights (SDR) channeling or equivalent contributions. We also ask the IMF to provide an analysis, by the 2023 Annual Meetings, of the full range of options to put the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust on a sustainable footing which will inform its burden-shared medium-term funding strategy, to be elaborated as part of the upcoming Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust review . We also welcome the approval of the first pilot programs under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust. We will deliver on existing pledges and generate additional contributions to the Resilience and Sustainability Trust. We welcome the recent temporary increase in general resources account (GRA) access limits to better support the membership during continued challenging and uncertain times. We also welcome the flexibility entailed by the changes to the Fund’s financing assurances policy that allow the possibility of upper-credit tranche engagement—subject to adequate safeguards—with members facing exceptionally high uncertainty and welcome the clarity of requirements which helps with even-handed application. We note the additional voluntary contributions made to the IMF’s multi-donor Administered Account to facilitate bilateral financial assistance to Ukraine. We look forward to the upcoming policy reviews of: precautionary facilities, the access limits under the emergency financing instruments, the impact of the food shock window, as well as the Resilience and Sustainability Trust interim review scheduled for April 2024. We also look forward to the ex-post report on the use of Special Drawing Rights following the 2021 General Allocation, including the impact on members’ reserves and consistency with the principles of transparency and accountability.

We reaffirm our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF at the center of the global financial safety net. We remain committed to revisiting the adequacy of quotas and will continue the process of IMF governance reform under the 16th General Review of Quotas, including a new quota formula as a guide, and ensure the primary role of quotas in IMF resources, by December 15, 2023. In this context, we support at least maintaining the IMF’s current resource envelope. We also welcome the fourth progress report to the Board of Governors and will accelerate our discussions to achieve considerable progress by the time of our next meeting toward the conclusion of the review as part of a package approach.

We support the IMF’s efforts to address ongoing debt challenges in collaboration with partners. We support the IMF’s work with the World Bank to help strengthen and accelerate the implementation of the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments on a case-by-case basis in a predictable, timely, orderly, and coordinated manner. We look forward to the IMF’s ongoing work with the World Bank to improve the information-sharing process with creditors, including on information underlying the Debt Sustainability Analysis, subject to confidentiality undertakings and institutions’ governance rules. Building on the momentum from the agreement on a debt treatment for Chad under the Common Framework, we call for a swift conclusion of a debt treatment for Zambia. We look forward to the rapid formation of the official creditor committee and its work toward the provision of financing assurances for Ghana. We encourage progress on a debt treatment for Ethiopia under an envisaged IMF- supported program. Given the rise in vulnerabilities in middle-income countries, it is critical that the international community find ways to promote stronger creditor coordination for debt restructuring. We welcome the provision of financing assurances that paved the way for the approval of a new program for Sri Lanka and look forward to a swift resolution of its debt situation. We also welcome the launch of the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable (GSDR), which aims at fostering greater common understanding among key stakeholders on concepts and principles, including on comparable treatment of private sector claims and its statement of April 12. The Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable can help address the main bottlenecks observed in sovereign debt restructurings, complementing the work of the G20, Paris Club and creditor committees, including under the Common Framework. We look forward to the Fund’s continued efforts to improve debt transparency and strengthen the contractual approach to support sovereign debt restructurings.

We reiterate the IMF’s important role in responding to members’ demands and diverse needs for guidance on the macroeconomic and financial implications of climate change and on effective policy responses. We support the IMF’s commitment—in line with its mandate, when deemed macro-critical, and in continued effective collaboration with relevant partners—to help members tackle climate change, reap the opportunities, and mitigate the risks of digitalization, support fragile and conflict-affected states and address inequality, poverty, and food insecurity. We note the ongoing analytical work on energy security and climate stress testing; the work on policies to scale up private sector climate finance, including for countries that are benefiting from financing under the Resilience and Sustainability Trust; and the review of the IMF’s Climate Macroeconomic Assessment Program. We welcome the IMF’s analytical work on policy elements and the macro-financial impacts of crypto-assets and look forward to further analytical work on digital cross-border payment platforms and the implications of digital money for the International Monetary System. We continue to support the new IMF gender strategy, aiming to help narrow gender disparities, consistent with national policies, in our member countries, as well as the IMF’s continued efforts to provide customized support to fragile and conflict-affected states in addressing their unique needs, including macroeconomic issues arising from security and humanitarian challenges.

We support the IMF’s efforts to further integrate country-tailored capacity development with surveillance and lending activities, in line with its mandate, and secure appropriate financing for capacity development. We support the continued capacity development provision in traditional areas, including fiscal and debt-related issues, and welcome the increasing focus of IMF capacity development support for fragile and conflict affected states, and members’ other emerging needs, including on climate and digital issues. We welcome the review of the capacity development strategy that will focus on further enhancing the impact of IMF capacity development.

We urge the IMF to step up its efforts to attract talent to support existing and new priority areas, improving staff diversity and inclusion, responding to the specific challenges identified in the FY 2020 - FY 2021 Diversity and Inclusion Report, some of which are long-standing. We also stress the importance of members committing to increase gender diversity in the Executive Board.

We support the IMF’s implementation of its Enterprise Risk Management framework to underpin appropriate identification and treatment of risks in fulfilling its mandate and look forward to a progress report at the Spring Meetings in 2024. We also support the recommendations of the Institutional Safeguards Review—including by strengthening the IMF’s internal Dispute Resolution System—to ensure the robustness of IMF’s governance structure. We look forward to the IMF’s review of the Transparency Policy to improve openness and clarity while strengthening process, traction, and accountability.

Our next meeting is expected to be held in October 2023, in Marrakech.

Chair’s Statement of the Forty-Eighth Meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC)

October 14, 2023

Chaired by Ms. Nadia Calviño, First Vice President of Spain and Minister for Economy and Digitalization

We express our deepest condolences to the people of Afghanistan and Morocco for the tragic loss of life and widespread destruction caused by the recent devastating earthquakes. We also express our deepest condolences to the people of Libya, for the tragic loss of life and devastation caused by flooding in September 2023.

We thank the Moroccan authorities for hosting the 2023 Annual Meetings in Marrakech and for their outstanding hospitality.

We note with deep concern the immense human suffering and the adverse impact of wars and conflicts around the world.

During the IMFC Plenary session, most members recognized that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has continued to have massive humanitarian consequences, as well as a detrimental impact on the global economy, and they strongly condemned it. There were other views and different assessments of the situation.

Concerning the war in Ukraine, while recalling the discussion in Bali, we reiterated our national positions and resolutions adopted at the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly (A/RES/ES-11/1 and A/RES/ES-11/6) and underscored that all states must act in a manner consistent with the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter in its entirety. In line with the UN Charter, all states must refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state. The use or threat of use of nuclear weapons is inadmissible.

Recognizing that while the IMFC is not a platform to resolve geopolitical and security issues, we acknowledge that these can have significant consequences for the global economy.

We highlighted the human suffering and negative added impacts of the war in Ukraine with regard to global food and energy security, supply chains, macro-financial stability, inflation and growth, which has complicated the policy environment for countries, especially developing and least developed countries which are still recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic disruption which has derailed progress towards the SDGs. There were different views and assessments of the situation.

We appreciate the efforts of Türkiye and UN-brokered Istanbul Agreements consisting of the Memorandum of Understanding between the Russian Federation and the Secretariat of the United Nations on Promoting Russian Food Products and Fertilizers to the World Markets and the Initiative on the Safe Transportation of Grain and Foodstuffs from Ukrainian Ports (Black Sea Initiative), and call for their full, timely and effective implementation to ensure the immediate and unimpeded deliveries of grain, foodstuffs, and fertilizers/inputs from the Russian Federation and Ukraine. This is necessary to meet the demand in developing and least developed countries, particularly those in Africa.

In this context, emphasizing the importance of sustaining food and energy security, we called for the cessation of military destruction or other attacks on relevant infrastructure. We also expressed deep concern about the adverse impact that conflicts have on the security of civilians thereby exacerbating existing socio-economic fragilities and vulnerabilities and hindering an effective humanitarian response.

We call on all states to uphold the principles of international law including territorial integrity and sovereignty, international humanitarian law, and the multilateral system that safeguards peace and stability. The peaceful resolution of conflicts, and efforts to address crises as well as diplomacy and dialogue are critical. We will unite in our endeavour to address the adverse impact of the war on the global economy and welcome all relevant and constructive initiatives that support a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold all the Purposes and Principles of the UN Charter for the promotion of peaceful, friendly, and good neighbourly relations among nations.

Today’s era must not be of war.

The global economy has been resilient, with the 2023 growth outlook slightly upgraded since the Spring. But the recovery has been uneven, as activity in many economies remains well below pre-pandemic trends and divergences across countries are rising. Medium-term global growth projections remain weak. Global headline inflation has declined, although in some countries remains well above target. Core inflation has proven more persistent than expected. Thanks to the decisive actions taken in early 2023 to contain financial turbulence, near-term risks are more balanced, but remain tilted to the downside. The war in Ukraine, elevated debt vulnerabilities, tightening of financial conditions, the intensifying climate shocks, rising inequality, refugees and displaced people, food insecurity, and risk of fragmentation remain concerns for the global economy, affecting vulnerable countries and people the most.

In this global context, our priorities are to durably reduce inflation, safeguard financial stability, ensure fiscal sustainability while protecting the most vulnerable, and boost inclusive and sustainable long-term growth. In line with their respective mandates, central banks remain strongly committed to achieving price stability and will continue to calibrate policies in a data-dependent manner, while communicating policy objectives clearly to help limit negative cross-country spillovers. They are working with supervisory and regulatory authorities to monitor risks for both banks and nonbanks. We will address data, supervisory, and regulatory gaps in the banking sector, and in particular the nonbanking financial sector, where relevant, and also stand ready to deploy macroprudential policies to mitigate systemic risks. We will rebuild fiscal buffers to guard against shocks, including by phasing out untargeted fiscal support, while continuing to protect the most vulnerable, creating budgetary room for needed investment, and providing clarity on medium-term fiscal plans. We will reinvigorate structural reforms to enhance labor market participation, boost productivity, support potential growth, promote social cohesion and support the green and digital transitions, according to country-specific circumstances.

We recognize that international cooperation and multilateralism are essential for global growth and the stability of the International Monetary System. We reiterate our commitments on exchange rates, addressing excessive global imbalances, and governance, and our statement on the rules-based trading system, as made in April 2021, reaffirming our commitment to avoid protectionist measures. We will work together to strengthen the global financial safety net with the IMF at its center and address global debt vulnerabilities. We will act collectively, as appropriate, to support climate and digital transitions, taking into account country-specific circumstances. We will continue to support vulnerable countries as they address their financing needs and vulnerabilities.

We welcome the Managing Director’s Global Policy Agenda and the recent Joint Statement of the World Bank President and the IMF Managing Director on Enhancing Bank-Fund collaboration along their respective mandates. We also take note of the Marrakech Principles for Global Cooperation.

We support the IMF surveillance focus on tailoring its advice to help members navigate macroeconomic and financial challenges, strengthen resilience, and boost inclusive and sustainable growth. We support the IMF’s monitoring of interactions between conjunctural policies and vulnerabilities, including work on trade, spillovers, capital flows, and geoeconomic fragmentation. We reaffirm our support for the Fund mainstreaming its climate, digital, macro-financial, gender, and fragile and conflict-affected state strategies, focused on macro-critical elements in line with its mandate and leveraging collaborations with others. We support work on the specific challenges facing small developing states.

We reaffirm our commitment to a strong, quota-based, and adequately resourced IMF at the center of the global financial safety net. We welcome the fifth progress report to the Board of Governors, which covered issues relating to the adequacy and composition of Fund resources and the realignment of quota shares. Building on these constructive discussions, we reaffirm our commitment to concluding the 16th General Review of Quotas by December 15, 2023. To this end, we support a meaningful quota increase that at least maintains the Fund’s current resource envelope, which is a critical step to strengthen the quota-based nature of the Fund, as bilateral borrowing agreements expire. We call on the Executive Board to work to swiftly bring a proposal to the Board of Governors and commit to prioritize a timely implementation by an expeditious approval of a quota increase through our domestic processes. In order to maintain the Fund’s current resource envelope until a quota increase becomes effective, we call on the Executive Board to propose transitional arrangements, if needed. We acknowledge the urgency and importance of realignment in quota shares to
better reflect members’ relative positions in the world economy, while protecting the quota shares of the poorest members. We therefore call on the Executive Board to work to develop, by June 2025, possible approaches as a guide for further quota realignment, including through a new quota formula, under the 17th General Review of Quotas.

We support the IMF’s critical and catalytic role in providing financial assistance, including on a precautionary basis, to members to help address their balance of payments needs. We welcome the recent enhancement of the IMF’s precautionary facilities which reinforces their strong signaling function as well as their agility and capacity to deal with external risks. Following the completion of the 16th General Review of Quotas, we call on the Fund to review the General Resources Account access limits. We will consider a review of surcharge policies. We celebrate the closure of the Stage 1 fundraising gaps for the subsidy and loan resources of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust and we encourage further broad-based contributions. We look forward to the upcoming interim review of the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust access limits. We look forward to the subsequent comprehensive review of Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust facilities and financing aiming to help meet Low Income Countries’ balance of payments needs and put the Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust on a sustainable footing by exploring all options, including the use of internal resources and reform of lending policies. We look forward to the interim review of the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, considering the experiences with the Resilience and Sustainability Facility programs, and the operationalization of the pandemic preparedness aspect of the Trust, after which we will consider a scaling up in voluntary contributions in Special Drawing Rights or equivalents. We look forward to the Review of Conditionality to effectively support countries in sustainably addressing external imbalances.

We support the IMF’s efforts to help countries durably address debt vulnerabilities. We support the IMF’s work with the World Bank to help strengthen and accelerate the implementation of the G20 Common Framework for debt treatments. We welcome the agreement reached on Zambia. Building on the positive momentum toward shorter timelines and smoother processes, we call for completing the debt treatment for Ghana and encourage progress on a debt treatment for Ethiopia under an IMF-supported program. We call for the completion of the debt treatment for Malawi. We also support stronger creditor coordination for debt restructuring in low- and middle-income countries outside the Common Framework. We welcome progress made on the debt treatments for Sri Lanka and for Suriname and look forward to their completion. We welcome the work at the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable which could support discussions in the G20 and Paris Club and encourage further progress with advancing common understandings of key concepts and principles for efficient debt restructuring. We support work on improving public debt transparency. We look forward to discussing debt policy reform options to promote the Fund’s capacity to support countries undertaking debt restructurings; and the upcoming review of the IMF-World Bank Low- Income Country Debt Sustainability Framework.

We support the IMF’s continued efforts to integrate its capacity development with surveillance and lending and secure appropriate capacity development financing. We ask the IMF, in collaboration with the World Bank and other relevant international institutions, to support efforts to enhance domestic resource mobilization in emerging market and developing economies. In this regard, we welcome ongoing work toward the launch of a new IMF capacity development fund under a global initiative for public finances. We look forward to completing the review of the IMF capacity development Strategy.

We call for the creation of a 25th chair on the IMF Executive Board for Sub-Saharan Africa to improve its voice and representation and the overall balance of regional representation at the Board. We stress the importance of members putting in place the means to effectively increase gender diversity in the Executive Board, including by developing medium-term voluntary objectives. We urge the IMF to step up its efforts to attract talent to support existing and new priority areas, improving staff diversity and inclusion, responding to the specific challenges identified in the Diversity and Inclusion 2020-2021 Report, some of which are long-standing.

Our next meeting is expected to be held in April 2024.

Section C: Canada’s engagement in European Bank for Reconstruction and Development operations

Reporting requirements

Created in 1991, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) fosters the transition toward democratic, market-oriented economies and promotes private and entrepreneurial initiatives in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. The EBRD recognizes that successful market economies should be inclusive as well as competitive, environmentally friendly, integrated, resilient and well governed. In 2023, the EBRD made €13.1 billion in investments – their highest level of investment ever – supporting 464 projects across 35 economies. Canada has been a member of the EBRD since its creation and is the bank’s 8th largest shareholder.

After having been the first international financial institution to approve a comprehensive package to respond to the war in Ukraine and provide €1.7 billion in financing to Ukraine in 2022, EBRD continued its leadership in supporting Ukraine in 2023, providing an additional €2.1 billion, exceeding its €3 billion by the end of 2023 target. Further, EBRD Governors approved a €4 billion paid-in capital increase to enable the EBRD to provide ongoing support in Ukraine and support reconstruction efforts once conditions in the country allow. EBRD’s support in Ukraine has been focused on energy security, municipal services and livelihoods for displaced persons, trade finance, and the provision of liquidity for small and medium-sized enterprises. In 2023, EBRD Governors also approved the limited and incremental expansion of EBRD into sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. Work is now underway to operationalize this expansion.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Act (EBRD Act) came into force in 1991 and provides the legal framework for Canada’s membership in the EBRD. As a founding member and the eighth-largest shareholder in the Bank, Canada actively contributes to the development of EBRD policies while providing oversight of the Bank’s financial activities. This is primarily achieved through Canada’s seats on the Board of Governors and Board of Directors.

As laid out in section 7 of the EBRD Act, the Minister of Finance is required to provide to Parliament an annual report of operations containing a general summary of all actions taken under the Act, including their sustainable development and human rights aspects. This section meets these reporting requirements.

For more information, refer to the text of the EBRD Act on Justice Canada’s website: .

Governance and representation

Canada’s capital subscriptions and shareholding

As of December 31, 2023, the EBRD had 73 shareholders: 71 countries, as well as the European Union and the European Investment Bank. The EBRD is active in 36 economies in Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the southern and eastern Mediterranean region. At its 2023 Annual Meeting, Governors approved changes to its Articles Establishing the Bank to enable a limited and incremental expansion of the Bank’s activities into sub- Saharan Africa and Iraq over the next several years, which will see a select number of countries in the region apply to become EBRD shareholders and countries of operations.

The EBRD’s share capital is provided by member countries that hold proportional voting rights. Decision-making power is primarily exercised by member countries through their representatives on the Board of Governors and the Board of Directors. Canada is the eighth-largest shareholder of the EBRD, with its shares representing 3.4%. As of the end of calendar year 2023, this represents €1.02 billion of the institution’s capital (€213 million is paid-in capital and the remaining is callable capital^{Footnote 15}). Canada’s share of the approved €4 billion paid-in capital increase to support Ukraine ( €137.15 million) is effective December 31, 2024, with payments to be made over five years starting in 2025.

Information on the EBRD’s 2023 fiscal year (January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023) is provided in its and Further information on the EBRD’s performance can be found in the and The Bank releases considerable information on its various activities. Bank publications include information guides (such as the Guide to EBRD Financing), evaluation reports, special reports, country strategies, and assorted fact sheets. Information can be obtained on the .

Requests for EBRD information can be addressed to:

Attention: Access to Information Function
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 5 Bank Street, London
E14 4BG, United Kingdom

Or submitted online to accessinfo@ebrd.com, or through the Bank’s .

Canada at the Board of Governors

The highest authority in the EBRD is the Board of Governors. The Board meets annually and approves the EBRD’s Annual Review, net income allocation and financial statements, the independent auditor’s report, the election of the chair and vice-chair for the next Annual Meeting, as well as other items requiring governors’ approval.

A Governor and an Alternate Governor represent each of the 71 shareholders. Canada’s Governor during the reporting period was former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland. David Morrison, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, is Canada’s Alternate Governor.

To learn more about the governance of the Board of Governors, please visit the

Canada at the Executive Board

The Board of Directors is responsible for the general operations of the Bank. It comprises 23 members, with each representing either one member or a constituency of member countries. The Board helps to set the strategic and financial course for the Bank, in consultation with the Bank’s management. As of September 2023, Canada is represented on the EBRD Board of Directors by Glenn Purves, replacing Sarah Fountain Smith who represented Canada from November 2020 to August 2023. The Director for Canada also represents Morocco, Jordan and Tunisia at the EBRD Board of Directors.

To learn more about the governance of the Executive Board, please visit the The office of the Director for Canada, Morocco, Jordan, and Tunisia, can be reached by email at canadaoffice@ebrd.com.

Canada at board committees

The Board of Directors has established four committees to oversee Bank activities: the Board Steering Group, the Audit Committee, the Budget and Administrative Affairs Committee, and the Financial and Operations Policies Committee. This division of labour is consistent with good corporate governance practices and provides an appropriate system of checks, balances and incentives. In addition, the structure ensures a more effective discussion by the Board, once initiatives are ready for approval.

The Board Steering Group is responsible for the coordination of the committees’ work programs to avoid overlap and ensure timely completion. In addition to some administrative duties, the Group’s chair is the main liaison between the Board of Directors and management. In 2023, the Group was chaired by the Director for the Czechia, Hungary, the Slovak Republic, Croatia and Georgia.

The Audit Committee’s primary objective is to ensure that the financial information reported by the Bank is complete, accurate, relevant and timely. The Committee oversees the integrity of the Bank’s financial statements, and the compliance of its accounting and reporting policies with the requirements set out in the International Financial Reporting System. It also reviews the EBRD’s system of internal controls and its implementation, as well as the functions of the internal audit, evaluation, compliance and risk management teams. In 2023, the Committee was chaired by the Director for the European Investment Bank (January to August) and the Director for Switzerland, Ukraine, Liechtenstein, Turkmenistan, Serbia and Montenegro (September to December).

The Budget and Administrative Affairs Committee is responsible for ensuring that the Bank’s budgetary, staff and administrative resources are aligned with its strategic priorities. To this end, the Committee reviews the medium-term resource framework, annual budgets and the business plan. It also oversees the Bank’s human resources policies, the Shareholder Special Fund, and the uses of Donor funding. In 2023, the Committee was chaired by the Director for Germany.

The Financial and Operations Policies Committee oversees the Bank’s financial and operational policies, including the annual borrowing plan and the liquidity policy prepared by the Treasury Department. The committee plays a key role in taking forward implementation of the Bank’s Strategic and Capital Framework; policy coherence and coordination; discussions on projects under the early warning system; and substantive preparations for the EBRD’s Annual Meeting. Since 2007, the Committee has also been charged with overseeing the net income allocation process. As well, it is responsible for the Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy and EBRD country and sector strategies. In 2023, the Committee was chaired by the Director for the United Kingdom.

Benefits of EBRD membership

Canada’s membership in the EBRD, and its active participation in the discussion of policy and operational issues, is an important means to help shape economic and social development in the EBRD’s countries of operation. Canada strongly supports the overriding objective of developing a strong private sector by mobilizing financing for projects with a high transition impact and by providing advice and technical assistance to businesses and governments. The Bank provides Canada with a vehicle to contribute to development in transition countries that are not currently part of Canada’s bilateral development assistance programs. This year, Canada worked closely with the EBRD to finalize the terms of the €4 billion paid-in capital increase to provide ongoing support for Ukraine, including reconstruction efforts. As Ukraine’s largest institutional investor, EBRD will have an important role to play in supporting Ukraine’s reconstruction, once conditions in the country allow.

Finally, Canada’s engagement helps to raise awareness among Canadian companies of opportunities presented by the EBRD. Canadian companies can seek financing for projects undertaken in the Bank’s countries of operations. The Bank often relies on the procurement of goods and services from the private sector to implement transition projects. The Executive Director’s office works diligently with Bank management to increase awareness amongst Canadian companies of the opportunities presented at EBRD, with a view to increasing the participation of Canadian companies. Canadian financial institutions also play an active role in managing EBRD global bond issuances. Furthermore, Canadians are well represented on EBRD staff. At the end of 2023, there were 28 Canadians on the staff of the EBRD, representing 0.86% of total positions.