Question Period Note: Canada's presence in Africa in the face of competing geopolitical interests.

Countries such as China, Russia, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are expanding their economic, security and political presence in Africa.

• ·Canada is building on its relationships in Africa to ensure mutually beneficial prosperity, peace and security.
• Canada's Africa Strategy aims to refocus and strengthen Canada's engagement with Africa towards greater economic and security cooperation that advances mutual interests.
• Amid growing geopolitical competition for influence and resources, we are deepening our trade and development efforts in Africa.
• Canada is supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area - which will boost intra-African trade, promote industrialization, and drive sustainable development.
• In our efforts to support international development, Canada invested $3.2 billion in Africa last year - providing much needed humanitarian assistance, as well as longer-term poverty eradication programming.

China, Russia, Turkey and the Gulf States in Africa
China is Africa's top trading partner and largest bilateral creditor, financing more government-to-government loans than any other country.
Russia is striving to deepen its ties with Africa to secure influence and access resources.
Russia and China are Africa's top weapons suppliers.
Turkey (which has opened 32 missions in Africa since 2002) and the Gulf States are investing in infrastructure, transportation corridors (for exports) and security partnerships in Africa.

Canada in Africa
Canada's footprint in Africa includes 27 diplomatic missions (note: China and Russia have 65 and 39 diplomatic missions respectively).
Canada maintains a limited military presence in Africa, including 7 defence attachés and less than 100 Canadian Armed Forces personnel involved in capacity-building, UN peacekeeping and other programs.
Canada's international assistance ($3.2 billion in fiscal year 23/24) contributes to poverty reduction efforts in areas such as humanitarian assistance, health, environment / climate action, economic growth, food security, and education / skills development.
Canada's Africa Strategy, announced in March 2025, refocuses Canada-Africa engagement around economic cooperation, shared security, stronger partnerships, people-to-people ties, and youth.

Other donor countries
U.S. Administration executive orders suspending aid (note: USAID invested US$15.2b in Africa in 2023) are having a significant negative impact on Africa, particularly in the health sector.
G7 donors are increasingly shifting a proportion of their international development investments in Africa to focus on economic security and trade, including to secure access to critical mineral resources.

African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)
If fully implemented, the AfCFTA will result in an integrated market with a GDP of over $3 trillion and a market of 1.3 billion people.
An integrated, rules-based trading environment in Africa would benefit Canadian companies, including as a result of enhanced transparency and predictability of the business and investment environment.

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