Canada’s Africa Strategy Memorandum to Cabinet of December 2024

Public statement for the Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA) Cabinet directive 

Canada’s Africa Strategy: A partnership for shared prosperity and security represents a strengthening of Canada’s engagement with Africa, toward greater economic cooperation, strengthened peace and security partnerships, enhanced engagement of African diaspora communities in Canada, and international assistance that supports economic development and youth employment.

Canada will work with African partners across 5 strategic areas, that are aligned with the African Union’s "Agenda 2063" and informed by numerous consultations with African, Canadian, and international stakeholders:

1. Strengthening our diplomatic engagement and people-to-people ties, including through new special envoys and embassies, expanded collaboration with the regional economic communities and parliaments, and a new diaspora engagement mechanism
2. Enhancing economic cooperation, including through a high-level trade mission to Africa, the creation of an Africa Trade Hub, additional support for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), negotiation of foreign investment promotion and protection agreements (FIPAs) and research partnerships
3. Reducing poverty, supporting economic development, empowering youth, assisting in humanitarian crises and climate adaptation, including through a new Africa Trade and Development Program, a new office of FinDev Canada, Canada’s bilateral development finance institution, in South Africa, investing in renewable energy and infrastructure, investing in youth and skills training, prioritizing the mobilization of finance, supporting adaptation and addressing biodiversity loss through Canada’s $5.3-billion climate finance envelope, and building on decades of cooperation in global health and nutrition
4. Bolstering partnerships for peace, security and human rights, including by supporting African-led peace operations and conflict prevention initiatives, promoting the role of women and youth in peace and security, strengthening democracy and human rights, a revised Canadian approach to the Sahel, and the provision of technical assistance and support against key international threats
5. Advancing shared priorities through increased engagement on the global stage, including by continuing to support increased African participation in multilateral spaces and by working closely with African partners to address global challenges and opportunities

This proposal as undergone an analysis using the Climate, Nature and Economy Lens (CNEL) Reference Template. The CNEL Reference Template was filled and signed by accountable entities within GAC. Hence, GAC Ministers’ accountabilities and responsibilities for the 2024 SEA Cabinet Directive have been fulfilled.

The preliminary questions led GAC to undertake a partial analysis for this MC given the potential environmental impacts of Canada’s Africa Strategy. For this type of high level, long term and strategic policy document, it is impossible to predict the nature of the impacts on the different aspects of the environment with precision. A qualitative high level strategic environmental analysis was conducted to generate recommendations on how Canada’s Africa Strategy could be made more environmentally sustainable in the long term. The analysis raised the different important environmental challenges that Africa is facing or will be facing in the near- and long-term future. The SEA noted and captured some of the thematic and sectorial areas of cooperation where Canada presents strengths to build on. This includes its sophisticated mining sector that operates with high environmental, social and governance standards, its world-class scientific research and innovation capacity in a wide range of environmental issues, its potential for technology transfer in green technologies relevant for climate mitigation and adaptation, its expertise and commitment to responsible business practices and due diligence, and the strong feminist and social inclusion components of its foreign policy that focuses on the empowerment of women and other vulnerable groups.