Canada Pledges $5 million for Development in Ukraine

Barrie, ON — The Honourable Aileen Carroll, Minister of International Cooperation, announced on October 16 that the Canadian International Development Agency, (CIDA), through Canada Corps, will provide close to $5 million for three initiatives in Ukraine. This is part of Canada’s ongoing efforts to help strengthen democracy and good governance in Ukraine. The Minister made the announcement at Barrie’s 7th annual Ukrainian Festival.

“As the people and government of Ukraine lead their own transition to a system of government that respects the rights of its citizens and protects democratic principles, Canada will be there to assist them,” said Minister Carroll. “We helped the Ukrainian people make their votes count, and we will continue to stand by them as they work to build a strong, united, and democratic Ukraine.”

Further to the announcement, Canada will invest $2.5 million to promote a closer alignment of regional and federal policies in Ukraine. Working with Ukraine’s International Centre for Policy Studies, the Conference Board of Canada will build on the analytical base already established through earlier initiatives to help develop the ability to measure and forecast regional and national economic potential and socio-economic performance. This initiative will share Canadian expertise through Canada Corps, which is an initiative that promotes governance in the developing world.

Close to $1.5 million will be allotted to a Canadian Bureau for an International Education initiative that is mobilizing Canadian policy advisors to offer expertise and training in response to requests for assistance from the Government of Ukraine and civil society. This Canada Corps project also supports study tours and short-term training and internships in Canada for Ukrainian officials.

A sum of $750,000 will go towards an Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe project that assists the Government of Ukraine in addressing: weaknesses in election legislation and administration; limited opportunities in Ukraine for public participation in policy-making; low participation in decision-making by women and youth; corruption; and limited access to reliable information about government services and policy.

Canada also recently announced a $5.5-million contribution over five years to a project that supports the Ukrainian government in implementing regional development planning and policy-making in a transparent, accountable and democratic manner. The project is managed by the Canadian Urban Institute with support from the Foundation for International Training, the EuroRegioUkraine and a team of Canadian and Ukrainian administrators.