The House of Commons Standing Committee on International Trade met to study Canada’s trade with North and West Africa, hearing from academics, diaspora representatives, development researchers, business leaders, and export financiers.
Thierry Warin, a data science professor at HEC Montréal, argued that Canada’s heavy trade concentration with the United States is partly a result of information asymmetries, not optimal allocation. He said data science can now identify specific products and value chains where Canada could find better-paying partners elsewhere, including in Africa, and that this “intelligent diversification” could also optimize the U.S. relationship. He warned that the biggest risk in diversification is finding partners with strong institutions that enforce contracts.
Macaulay Kalu, Secretary General of the Africa Union Sixth Region Global, said Canada risks irrelevance in Africa due to a lack of coordinated strategy, while competitors like China and the EU move with speed. He recommended a hub-and-spoke model anchored in Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco, and urged Canada to leverage its African diaspora as “boots on the ground,” noting that Quebec’s provincial Africa strategy offers a proven template. He also noted that Canada has no Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with any African country.
Marie-Gloriose Ingabire and Erin Tansey of the International Development Research Centre presented region-specific research identifying opportunities in energy, agri-food processing, logistics, digital trade, and green infrastructure. They argued that realizing these opportunities requires system-level collaboration and investment in evidence and regulatory cooperation, not just firm-level solutions. Tansey said the greatest risk is not political instability but failing to use existing knowledge from the Canadian diaspora and IDRC’s on-the-ground offices to mitigate perceived risks.
Jackson Igbinosun, President and CEO of the AfriCanada Economic Summit Group, highlighted Africa’s infrastructure needs, especially in energy, where 600 million people lack electricity. He recommended a coordinated Canada-Africa market access platform, enhanced risk-sharing tools through EDC and the African Development Bank, and formalizing the diaspora’s role in Canada’s trade ecosystem. He stressed the need for Canadian firms to engage at the early project-development stage to secure long-term participation.
Todd Winterhalt and Joanne Tognarelli of Export Development Canada reported that EDC supported $1.3 billion in Canadian exports to Africa in 2025, a 15% increase, serving 532 companies across all 54 countries. They noted that two-thirds of EDC’s customers are now looking beyond the U.S., and 16% plan to export to or invest in Africa within two years. Tognarelli acknowledged that EDC has only one representative on the ground in Africa, but said the agency prioritizes credit insurance and partnerships with institutions like the African Development Bank to extend its reach.
Fatima Meite, Vice-President of the Mali Canada Chamber of Commerce Association, submitted seven recommendations, including a Canada-Africa 2030 trade strategy, a $250–500 million SME fund hosted by EDC, an annual economic summit, and tailored financial products for African markets. She argued that existing federal agencies lack products specifically designed for Africa, and that the diaspora, which requires little investment to mobilize, is an underused asset.
The committee briefly debated and adopted an amendment to a previously noticed motion regarding the production of documents, reducing the timeline from 30 to 15 calendar days and adding a procedure for an in-camera review of the documents with numbered paper copies that must be returned and destroyed.
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