Canada short of the mark on Africa strategy

Opinion

Prime Minister Mark Carney’s choice of Europe for his first trip abroad as Canada’s leader was telling. Under U.S. President Donald Trump, America — our closest ally and economic lifeline — has become a menacing and unstable force. And Ottawa is scrambling to fill the void.

One option is better engagement with Africa. Home to many of the fastest-growing economies in the world, it holds immense potential for collaboration. Indeed, Canadian business leaders, diplomats, trade experts and African diaspora groups have long argued as much.

Yet Ottawa’s new Africa strategy has triggered serious disappointment. The much-anticipated plan took two-plus years to develop. But released quietly during the last days of the Trudeau government, it’s mostly a repackaging of pre-existing pledges without new funding.

The strategy’s impact seems it will be limited to symbolism, according to an analysis by a group of academics specializing in Canada-Africa relations. It formally recognizes the continent’s rising importance, they said, and was based on a “remarkably inclusive” consultation process. What’s missing are details on execution. Each of the strategy’s dozens of ambitious projects and laudable goals are accompanied by just two or three vague bullet points.

The Canadian Centre for African Affairs and Policy Research was less charitable in its review. “What we have is a policy statement without policy, a commitment without commitments, and a strategy without a plan,” the group wrote in a blog post. “It is, in effect, a vision statement that does little to advance Canada’s economic and geopolitical interests, while making it glaringly obvious to our African allies that nothing has changed.”

This is a major problem. By far the world’s youngest region, Africa’s trajectory will profoundly impact the world — from the energy transition and international migration to global security and more.

Mutually beneficial market opportunities around clean power, agriculture, financial tech, education and logistics are already abundant. The digitalization of economies is increasing too. Its financial markets are meanwhile expanding at their fastest pace since 2017.

Indeed, there is an urgent need to shift the narrative around Africa to portray the opportunities it offers the rest of the world — home to 18 per cent of the global population, its share of global trade is just three per cent.

This is occurring just as increased internet connectivity is about to turbocharge Africa’s economic growth. The UN estimates that around three-quarters of the continent’s population will have internet access by 2030, compared to 20 per cent in 2020. The result will be both accelerated national development and greater economic synergies throughout the African Continental Free Trade Area — the world’s largest free trade zone. The region’s geopolitical importance is rising as well. And as western hegemony ebbs, African stakeholders are deftly courting the opportunities that come with competition.

As the continent’s technology and innovation ecosystems mature, its countries and companies will be looking for suitable partners that respect the principle of self-determination. Canada could be that partner. Instead, it is at risk of becoming an afterthought.

India, Japan and the United States have each launched charm offensives in Africa to counter China’s vast footprint there. Beijing, meanwhile, is evolving away from mega infrastructure project partnerships toward more nuanced political and economic engagement.

Kremlin-linked entities have struck a flurry of deals with African governments dating back to 2014. Turkey, Iran and the United Arab Emirates are pouring money and diplomatic attention into Africa in a bid to cement their status as regional powers. European countries seek to tap the continent’s vast energy supplies as they pivot away from Russia.

Canada is virtually irrelevant by comparison.

True, Canada has invested in successful development projects around improving female reproductive health. But these get overshadowed by instances of Canadian corporate malfeasance in energy and mining and Ottawa’s cuts to foreign aid. Then there is Canada’s near-complete withdrawal from UN peacekeeping and stabilization missions — aside from a brief, virtue-signalling flop in Mali beginning in 2018.

Ottawa must take Africa seriously, and soon. Lecturing sovereign, diverse African nations on social issues and abstract democratic principles will also not get very far.

As Canada looks out into the world for new partnerships, it has everything it needs to be significant player in Africa while generating returns for Canadian businesses and investors.

What’s still missing is a cohesive strategy and political will.

Kyle Hiebert is a Winnipeg-based political risk analyst and former deputy editor of the Africa Conflict Monitor.