The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was formed in 1968 by the Canadian government. CIDA administers foreign aid programs in developing countries, and operates in partnership with other Canadian organizations in the public and private sectors as well as other international organizations. It reports to the Parliament of Canada through the minister for International Cooperation. Its mandate is to "support sustainable development in developing countries in order to reduce poverty and contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world." CIDA is overseen by the federal Minister of International Cooperation, currently the Honourable Beverly J. Oda, and has its headquarters at 200 Promenade du Portage in Gatineau, Quebec.

Priorities

1. Social development
2. :CIDA has supported programs relating directly to the treatment of STDs in developing countries. It also cites basic education and child protection as priorities in the social development of countries that it aids.
3. Economic well-being
4. Environmental sustainability
5. :With a focus upon issues such as climate change, land degradation, and water supply, CIDA seeks to help developing nations maintain healthy ecosystems. CIDA is a partner in the Canada Iraq Marshlands Initiative. For example, CIDA was a major donor to the International LUBILOSA Programme: which developed a biological pesticide for locust control, in support of small-holder farmers in the Sahel.
6. Governance
7. :CIDA strives for human rights, democracy, and good governance. The agency supports gender equality and funds programs that benefit women directly.

Leadership

The Canadian International Development Agency is currently led by Margaret Biggs.

See also

• Canada Corps
• Millennium Development Goals
• Local Enterprise Investment Centre a centre funded by Canadian Government through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and managed by IDLC of Bangladesh Ltd. (IDLC) to develop Bangladeshi SMEs

Notes

1. Canadian International Development Agency. CIDA in Brief
2. Canadian International Development Agency. Minister of International Cooperation.
3. Canadian International Development Agency. Environmental Sustainability.
4. University of Victoria "Reseeding a way of life in Iraq’s marshlands." The Ring (January, 2008).
5. Canadian International Development Agency. The President's Office.

External links

• Official web site
• CIDA's Organization Chart
• Profiles of projects funded by CIDA
• Government Directory - CIDA
• Between Policy and Practice: Navigating CIDA's Democracy Agenda - Saskatchewan Institute of Public Policy, by Geoffrey Cameron
• Local Enterprise Investment Centre (LEIC) a centre funded by Canadian Government through Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)