The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA; in
French: ''Agence canadienne de développement international''; ''ACDI'') was a federal
Canadian
Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...
organization that administered foreign aid programs in developing countries.
The agency was merged into the
Department of Foreign Affairs in 2013 by the federal government under Prime Minister
Stephen Harper.
History
CIDA was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government under
Lester B. Pearson. CIDA reported to the
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada () is the Canadian federalism, federal legislature of Canada. The Monarchy of Canada, Crown, along with two chambers: the Senate of Canada, Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, form the Bicameral ...
through the
Minister for International Cooperation. Its mandate was to "support
sustainable development in
developing countries
A developing country is a sovereign state with a less-developed Secondary sector of the economy, industrial base and a lower Human Development Index (HDI) relative to developed countries. However, this definition is not universally agreed upon. ...
in order to reduce
poverty
Poverty is a state or condition in which an individual lacks the financial resources and essentials for a basic standard of living. Poverty can have diverse Biophysical environmen ...
and contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world." CIDA had its headquarters at 200 Promenade du Portage in
Gatineau, Quebec.
CIDA funding was the subject of intense debate, and the Conservative government made major revisions to the funding process, including reductions to NGOs described as supporting "left-leaning causes", such as Montreal-based
Alternatives.
Demise
In March 2013, the Conservative government announced that CIDA would be folded into the
Department of Foreign Affairs, and the organizations renamed as the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development, later renamed as
Global Affairs Canada
Global Affairs Canada (GAC; ; AMC)''Global Affairs Canada'' is the applied title under the Federal Identity Program; the legal title is Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (). is the department of the Government of Canada that ...
. Critics said the merger would give insufficient attention to fighting poverty, but the Conservative government, and later the Liberal government that also kept CIDA programs under the same department, said the merger would lead to a more coherent international agenda.
An internal report by the agency said that it would take up to 10 years for ex-CIDA employees to get used to the merger.
Mandate
#Social development
#:CIDA has supported programs relating directly to the treatment of
STDs in developing countries. It also cites basic
education
Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...
and child protection as priorities in the social development of countries that it aids.
#Economic well-being
#:Promoted and funded
Microfinance and
Education for sustainable development programs.
#
Environmental sustainability
#:With a focus upon issues such as climate change,
land degradation, and water supply, CIDA sought to help developing nations maintain healthy ecosystems. CIDA was a partner in the Canada Iraq Marshlands Initiative.
[University of Victori]
"Reseeding a way of life in Iraq’s marshlands."
''The Ring'' (January, 2008). For example, CIDA was a major donor to the International
LUBILOSA Programme: which developed a
biological pesticide for
locust control, in support of small-holder farmers in the
Sahel.
#Governance
#:CIDA strove for human rights, democracy, and good governance. The agency also supported gender equality.
See also
*
Canada Corps
*
Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition
*
Millennium Development Goals
*
Robert Greenhill
*
Local Enterprise Investment Centre a centre funded by Canadian Government through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and managed b
IDLC of Bangladesh Ltd. (IDLC)to develop Bangladeshi SMEs
*
United States foreign aid
Notes
External links
Between Policy and Practice: Navigating CIDA's Democracy Agenda - Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, by Geoffrey Cameron
Local Enterprise Investment Centre (LEIC) a centre funded by Canadian Government through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
{{Authority control
Former Canadian federal departments and agencies
International development agencies
History of the foreign relations of Canada