From aid to advantage: re-imagining Canada–Africa relations

Canada must shift its mindset from donor to long-term partner, and from symbolic gestures to strategic co-investment.

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, left, Immigration Minister Lena Metlege Diab, and Industry Minister Mélanie Joly. A strategic implementation plan for Canada’s Africa Strategy requires co-ordination across multiple departments including Global Affairs, Immigration, Innovation, and Finance, writes Selah Getahun. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade

Opinion

BY SELAH GETAHUN

September 3, 2025

Canada is at a crossroads in its foreign and economic policy. While searching for new trading partners, labour solutions, and geopolitical relevance, we continue to overlook an obvious partner for shared prosperity in the 21st century: Africa.

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