Meeting 17 · December 9, 2025 · 11:03–12:41 (1h 38m)
45-15 witnesses · 53 interventions · 9,962 words
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development met to study Canada's Africa strategy. Witnesses included Elise Legault and Ndidi Nwuneli from the ONE Campaign, Kate Higgins from Cooperation Canada, and professors Stephen Brown and Chris W. J. Roberts appearing as individuals.
Ndidi Nwuneli argued that Canada needs Africa for trade diversification, noting that fewer than 1% of Canadian exports go to Africa despite the continent's rapid growth and the African Continental Free Trade Area. She recommended that Canada attach funding and timelines to its Africa strategy, organize a formal trade mission to Africa by 2026, start free trade agreement negotiations with major African economies, and make a strong commitment to the African Development Fund. She also stressed the need for affordable financing for Canadian businesses and for changing negative narratives about Africa.
Kate Higgins emphasized that the Africa strategy's success depends on clear investments and measurable goals, warning that recent $2.7-billion cuts to international assistance undermine its ambitions. She called for policy coherence across Canada's foreign policy tools, including on arms exports, and urged Canada to address structural barriers like the debt crisis affecting sub-Saharan Africa. She disagreed with any move toward tied aid, arguing it would undermine credibility, and stressed that humanitarian and development assistance must remain integrated.
Stephen Brown expressed confusion about what the strategy would do differently from past Canadian engagement, noting it lists existing activities without additional resources. He warned that budget cuts signal lost interest in health leadership, especially sexual and reproductive health and rights, and criticized Canadian mining companies' record on human rights in Africa. He recommended maintaining health sector work, supporting LGBTQI+ rights, being cautious about blended finance, and investing in long-term partnerships to avoid Canada's pattern of "consistent inconsistency."
Chris W. J. Roberts added three new "Ds" to his earlier framework—delivery, defence and drones, and diversification—arguing Canada has failed to deliver on modest promises like upgrading its office in Lusaka to a high commission. He recommended reinstating a secretary of state for Africa and noted that energy poverty is the biggest obstacle to development, including African fossil fuels. He disagreed with prioritizing additional foreign investment promotion and protection agreements, and stressed that Canada must get serious about supporting democratic institutions and human rights.
During questions, witnesses noted that China and India succeeded in Africa through comprehensive strategies, political leadership, and affordable financing for their businesses, while Canada's FinDev Canada has far fewer resources. They agreed that trade and development should be integrated but warned against tied aid, and emphasized that humanitarian assistance and development are not separate. On critical minerals, witnesses called for transparency, affordable patient capital from Canadian institutions, and knowledge transfer to support value addition in Africa. The committee also heard that energy access is critical for development, with Canada well positioned to partner on electricity initiatives like Mission 300. No procedural debate, motions, or votes occurred during this meeting.
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Elise Legault
Senior Director of Policy, North America, ONE Campaign
Opening remarks
I'll go quickly, since Ndidi is on video. I'm Elise Legault, the senior director of policy for North America at the ONE Campaign. I want to introduce our president and CEO, Ndidi. She will make the opening statement for us, and we will both be available to answer your questions afterwards. Go ahead, Ndidi.
Ndidi Nwuneli
President and Chief Executive Officer, ONE Campaign
Opening remarks
Thank you so much, Elise. Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'm honoured to take part in your committee's review of Canada's Africa strategy. I am the president of the ONE Campaign, a global advocacy organization co-founded by Bono that is fighting for the investments needed to create economic opportunity and healthier lives in Africa. I speak as someone who has worked for many decades alongside farmers, entrepreneurs, innovators, youth and private-public civil society leaders across the African continent. Their incredible resilience and creativity have both informed and inspired my views on how the world can, and should, engage with the continent. First, I would like to acknowledge the Canadian pledge to the eighth replenishment of the Global Fund. While the government has framed its $1.02-billion pledge as a recalibration to pre-pandemic levels, this amounts to a significant 16% cut from its previous $1.21-billion pledge in 2022. This cut comes at a critical time in the global fight against HIV, TB and malaria. To be clear, let me state that Canada needs Africa, and Africa needs Canada. Prime Minister Carney has set a clear mission to double non-U.S. trade within 10 years and generate…
Kate Higgins
Chief Executive Officer, Cooperation Canada
Opening remarks
I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear today on behalf of Cooperation Canada, the national independent voice for international co-operation representing more than 100 Canadian development and humanitarian organizations. When Canada released its Africa Strategy in March, we welcomed it as a long-needed step toward a more coherent, forward-looking approach to the continent. However, its success depends on clear investments, measurable goals and sustained diplomatic, economic and international-assistance efforts. Today’s meeting is an opportunity to assess the strategy and reflect on Canada’s broader international co-operation efforts. My remarks highlight several priorities Canada must uphold to effectively and responsibly engage African partners. First, Africa presents enormous opportunities for deeper Canadian engagement in trade diversification, for example in critical minerals. These opportunities offer real potential for shared prosperity, but mutual benefit requires more than commercial activity. It requires partnerships grounded in shared values, including inclusive and sustainable growth, and high standards of transparency, environmental protection and…
Stephen Brown
Professor, School of Political Studies, University of Ottawa, As an Individual
Opening remarks
Thank you very much for inviting me to speak to you today. My name is Stephen Brown. I am a political science professor at the University of Ottawa. I have been studying Canadian development assistance for some 20 years, and African politics and development for about 30 years. Let me start by admitting that I'm a bit confused by what Canada's strategy for Africa actually is. I've read the strategy document. I've even blogged about it. Much of what it describes is very worthwhile, but I'm still confused by some things, including how much Canada actually plans to do differently under the strategy. The strategy itself lists a lot of activities that Canada is already doing. It's actually a quite backward-looking document for something that should be more forward-looking. What is it going to do that is different from what Canada is doing, or has been doing, for the past 10 or even 20 years? The second point, or main point, of confusion for me is this: How many new things can it do without any additional resources or without abandoning any activities that it currently undertakes? The budget that was released last month has left me even more confused vis-à-vis Canada's intentions…
Chris W. J. Roberts
Political Science Instructor, University of Calgary, As an Individual
Opening remarks
Great, and thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you for having me back to the committee to discuss Africa-Canada relations and progress on Canada's Africa strategy. Much has happened since my last visit to the committee in April 2024. Important policy milestones, of course, have been generated over the last 18 months, which have generated both enthusiasm and healthy debates. This is a good time, as we're doing right now, to re-evaluate and rejuvenate Canadian strategic intention towards the continent. I've written previously of the urgent need for Canada's Africa strategy to leverage and operationalize four Ds: demographics, demand, democracy and diasporas. Many of these issues have, of course, already been mentioned by previous speakers today. After a year of major shifts in domestic priorities in response to American and global challenges, three additional Ds need to be added urgently: delivery, defence and drones—in the same category—and diversification. The initial four Ds are broadly understood but not fully internalized. Demographics focuses on that gradual shift from China and India to Africa as the future global workforce and growth node. However, there can be no future…