Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 06, 2016 -

The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development is beginning a study on the countries of focus for Canada’s bilateral development assistance.

The purpose of the study is to review the methodology that determined the selection of the current list of 25 countries of focus. The Committee will also be considering the sectoral themes – increasing food security, stimulating sustainable economic growth, and securing the future of children and youth – that the Canadian government has prioritized within that context.

At the end of this study, the Committee will issue recommendations on the effectiveness of the countries of focus model, and the principles and criteria that should determine the prioritization of the countries and sectors that receive Canadian bilateral development assistance going forward. These recommendations are intended to inform the Government of Canada’s review of Canada’s international assistance framework, which will be conducted over the next year in the lead-up to Budget 2017.

Organizations and individuals who wish to provide their views and comments to the Committee are invited to submit a written brief through the Clerk of the Committee. The deadline for written submissions is 27 May 2016.

Further information about the Committee’s upcoming meetings on the countries of focus study is available on the Committee’s website.