Foreign Affairs Committee on April 29th, 2024

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much, Professor Grant.

We next go to Ms. Tower.

You have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[Amali Tower, Founder and Executive Director, Climate Refugees]

Good afternoon, and thank you to committee members for the kind invitation to be part of this important discussion on Canada's approach to Africa.

I founded Climate Refugees 10 years ago after working with refugees all around the world, especially in Africa. That work made clear that climate change is increasingly impacting mobility all around the world. Communities in Africa are seeing increasing poverty, mounting losses and damages, development setbacks and human rights eroded as a result of climate change. Forced migration is just one such harm, but it is inextricably linked to human security, where conflicts are being exacerbated.

Although Africa has contributed less than 4% to carbon emissions, it is on the front lines of climate impacts, with the least capacity and international support to respond. This fundamental climate injustice must be a key component of any strategy regarding the African continent.

These losses are setbacks to gains once made under the UN sustainable development goals, a key priority of Canada's international assistance program. In Kenya, people told me how rainfall has submerged local schools and clinics, a clear threat to the UN goals on achieving quality education and good health for all. In an isolated island community battling lake rise and wildlife encroachment, one woman I spoke to faced childbirth in a flimsy boat surrounded by crocodiles. It is not difficult to see why some people may feel they simply have no choice but to move elsewhere, while others lack the resources to move so remain trapped in place.

Climate Refugees's discussions with communities in Kenya, Somalia and the Lake Chad basin confirm climate is driving insecurity. Scientists have confirmed that Africa is warming faster than the rest of the world, driving drought and resource scarcity. Last month, the International Organization for Migration and the African Union confirmed that conflict and insecurity in Africa are increasingly exacerbated by climate change.

The Horn of Africa has been dealing with the worst drought it has ever seen. I spoke to pastoralists in Kenya and Somalia who have lost their livestock—their livelihood—and families are now facing starvation or acute food insecurity. In some cases, conflicts between groups have become deadly.

I found a similar situation around the Lake Chad basin, where at least 40 million people reside and where temperatures have risen nearly 2°C since the 1960s and rainfall has become increasingly erratic. The start of the conflict with Boko Haram in 2009 forced many out of the region, though in many cases people were first displaced within the region due to climate change. In my discussions with residents, some reported being first displaced as far back as 1973.

What role does Canada have in all of this? On one hand, Canada has a reputation of generous foreign assistance and of being quite welcoming to refugees. On the other hand, domestic challenges in Canada have stalled welcoming immigration policies.

I would remind this committee that nobody wants to be forced to leave their home, yet that is increasingly happening all around the world today, in Africa and elsewhere. Globally, over 114 million people have been forcibly displaced, and that was before Gaza.

While conflict and violence continue to be the main drivers of migration and displacement in sub-Saharan Africa, they are being increased by climate shocks, bringing to light the linkages between migration drivers and poverty, livelihood loss and political instability. Canada’s efforts in Africa can be strengthened through robust climate finance made accessible at community levels, commensurate with its own historical and current global emissions and in line with its climate pledges and UN commitments to the global south. This includes rapidly and urgently increasing its grant-based climate adaptation finance and its contributions to the newly established loss and damage fund.

Let’s remember that much of the displacement in Africa is happening within the continent, and while African states have stepped up to co-operate across borders, global north countries have not met the need and responsibilities at the same scale and level. Canada has an opportunity to help Africans adapt in place to climate change wherever possible; to support and facilitate voluntary migration to improved situations when moving becomes a necessary adaptation to climate change; and to compensate communities that have faced undue losses due to the irreversible effects of climate change. Canada also has an opportunity and duty to continue its commitment to international human rights law and its migration, asylum and border management programs with the U.S., ensuring protection of migrants and asylum seekers who arrive at its borders.

Canada should explore ways in which it can offer protection to those displaced in the context of climate change, sharing that responsibility with Africa. For example, Canadian asylum policy could incorporate the UN human rights committee's ruling to not deport individuals who face climate change conditions that threaten their right to life. Canada could also leverage its popular sponsorship program by introducing a climate migration class that can offer protection to someone facing climate risks to their life. These options have been highlighted by the Canadian Association of Refugee Lawyers.

Ultimately, these suggestions go beyond Canada's approach to Africa. If they're implemented in partnership with impacted countries and communities, Canada can be an example of global co-operation and a beacon of hope in the climate crisis.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much, Ms. Tower.

We now go to Mr. Roy.

You have five minutes for your opening remarks.

[Jean-Louis Roy, President, Partenariat International]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Members of Parliament, I would like to greet you all. I almost feel like remaining silent.

There are so many things to say about the new Africa, which Member Oliphant mentioned. We're not in 2000. We're in 2024, and we'll be in 2030, 2034 and 2040.

It will soon be 2045. Every 10 years, Africa's population will grow by the equivalent of the United States' population. The number of Africans will increase by 400 million in the next 10 years, by 800 million in the next 20 years and by 1.2 billion in the next 30 years. We're talking about very urgent matters. I would also like to point out that 150 million young people under the age of 25 will be entering the African job market by 2035.

That's in 10 years—not in 50 years, but 10 years.

Eventually, Africa will make up a quarter of humanity. India will make up 15%. China will make up 12%. The European Union will make up 4.5%. The U.S. will make up 4%. We're talking about 25% of the human communities.

There's an urgent matter. Since there may be some criticism, I would like to begin by applauding the work being done by Canadians in Africa. There are many wonderful things that—

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

I have a point of order, Mr. Chair. I'm sorry.

One of our witnesses isn't able to hear interpretation. It's not working.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you.

We'll look into it. I apologize.

Is that fine?

[Lisa Hepfner, Liberal, Hamilton Mountain, ON]

No. She can't hear it.

[Amali Tower]

I can't get it working.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Roy, you can proceed if you like.

[Jean-Louis Roy]

I was applauding the work being done by Canadians in Africa.

Professor Grant said earlier that he has been going to Africa for 20 years. I have been going for 21 years, if not 30. I have seen the development of Canada's presence. I went to Africa many times during my 12 years as the secretary general of the francophonie and then my seven years as president of Rights and Democracy. I think that I know Africa, as much as a person can know another society. It isn't easy, even if the person has been there many times. I see Canadians working. I see them trying to make their mark on the changes taking place on the continent. However, they are operating in an environment where Canada's profile and visibility have significantly declined in recent years.

Some 15 years ago, Canada was a great signature in Africa. It is not a great signature anymore. A lot of things are made by Canadians—great things in Africa—but something is missing.

What's the goal? What's the vision? What are the target areas? Is the goal to work in energy? People are familiar with energy. I'm looking at a member from Alberta here on the committee. Quebec is also familiar with the energy sector. Is the goal to work in this sector, or in agriculture or education? You can't work in every sector. However, right now, it seems that people are working in just about every sector, a little bit here, a little bit there.

Interestingly enough, Canada's signature is nowhere to be seen on the African continent. I'm sorry to say it, and I miss it. I was listening to the people who spoke earlier about the Pearson peacekeeping centre. I remember when this centre existed. I also remember the Rights and Democracy organization and the co‑operation of the Supreme Court of Canada and parliamentarians, which no longer exists. That's all more or less gone now. Canada no longer has the instruments that it once had, instruments of the highest quality.

As part of the ensuing discussion, I would like to be asked about the focus, methods and goals that Canada should have for the African continent, including the Sahel region, Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you very much.

We now go to MP Chong for four minutes.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I want to talk about Africa's economic situation, particularly as it relates to energy. Africa's sovereign debt has risen quite substantially in the last number of years. According to the data I have, the debt load has increased about 183% since 2019, far faster than the increase in GDP in Africa. We've had African growth on the entire continent essentially stall out since the great financial crisis of 2008.

Presently, Africa uses four million barrels of oil a day for a population of 1.4 billion people. To put that in perspective, we in Canada use 2.5 million barrels of oil a day for a population of 40 million people. What will likely happen over the next number of years, as African growth gets back on track, is you'll see a substantial jump in energy consumption on the continent. Most developing countries have three times the oil consumption per capita that Africa has, at roughly three barrels of oil per day per capita. That would mean that in the entire African continent, we would be going from four million barrels a day in oil consumption to 12 million barrels of oil a day.

I just wanted to put those numbers on the table and seek your comment on that.

[Jean-Louis Roy]

Thank you.

I know that you're familiar with these issues. However, certain parts of Africa, especially west Africa, are becoming energy suppliers. For example, Nigeria supplies energy for Egypt and Morocco and Niger supplies energy for other parts of the continent. Let's not forget new energy technologies, which are highly developed in some countries. In Morocco, for example, new energies such as solar power are highly developed. Morocco will undoubtedly turn to new energies.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

Africa currently produces seven million barrels of oil every day. It uses three to four million barrels a day, and exports three million barrels of oil a day. However, in 10 or 20 years, if Africa consumes 12 million barrels a day, it must obtain this oil from another continent.

[Jean-Louis Roy]

Yes. This is also the case for China.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

This oil could perhaps come from Canada or Africa.

[Jean-Louis Roy]

It may come from Alberta.

[Michael Chong, Conservative, Wellington—Halton Hills, ON]

What is the implication of that for Africa if it goes from a net exporter of energy, as it is now, to a net importer?

[Jean-Louis Roy]

Do you remember China in 1990? It was one of the poorest countries in the world and the most populated country in the world. Look at it today. Why? It's because people like us have invested. The Americans, the Europeans, the Japanese, the Chinese in other parts of the world outside of China have invested immensely in China. The machine started to produce by itself, and now they are selling us a lot of things. We also consider China a market.

We have to do exactly the same thing with Africa. We have to invest in Africa. Canada has to invest more in Africa than we do. We invest in mines and that's okay; we're maybe number one in mines—

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Mr. Roy, I'm afraid I have to go to the next member.

We now go to MP Chatel for four minutes.

[Sophie Chatel, Liberal, Pontiac, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I would like to welcome the witnesses here today.

Ms. Tower, I'll ask you a series of questions, and then you can choose how to answer them.

I saw the results of your research on the Lake Chad basin, which were presented at COP 26. What aspects should we integrate into our strategy for Africa in order to take climate change into account? In your opening remarks, you touched on some aspects. We heard many witnesses talk about Canada's expertise in climate resilience, particularly in the agriculture and green energy sectors. Should we be integrating this aspect? What role could Canada play in helping Africa achieve its climate security objectives?

As you rightly pointed out, vulnerable populations in Africa, for example, are disproportionately affected by climate change. How could Canada better support the United Nations' green climate fund, which seeks to help these populations?

[Amali Tower]

Thank you for those questions. Let me start with the last one.

In 2009, the international community came together and pledged—it wasn't committed to, but pledged—that the global north would start providing $100 billion every year to the global south to help it adapt to climate change. When we speak about resilience, you have to ask yourself, has that money materialized from 2009 to 2024? It has not materialized, even for one year. The most we have ever given is a little over $80 billion, and that's a highly contested number. That's by the OECD. Of that, over 60% tends to be for loans. This is supposed to be grant-based financing.

I heard another gentleman ask about what I would say is a rising debt crisis in Africa. If you are not supporting countries to adapt and build their resilience—let's really think about what these terms means—and if you provide financing in the manner of loans, is it any different from what we saw in the 1990s with the structural adjustment programs that came under development? We already know that they didn't work, and the ill effects of them are already being felt. African states had to privatize education. They had to privatize water. These are not systems that are sustainable in the era of the climate crisis, so that's the biggest problem.

We are now in the era of the Paris Agreement, which says the global north has a responsibility to avert, minimize and address loss and damage. By not providing financing, we missed our opportunity to address and minimize. For a lot of countries in Africa, we're in the era of loss and damage, and we're going to be in a situation where we need to address loss and damage, but still help these countries adapt. That has to come in both types of financing. The loss and damage fund was established at the last COP, and that needs to be grant-based financing.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ali Ehsassi]

Thank you, Ms. Tower.

We next go to Mr. Bergeron.

You have four minutes.

[Stéphane Bergeron, Bloc, Montarville, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In the first part of this meeting, I had the opportunity to talk about how Africa was becoming a continent of the future. I spoke, of course, of economic and French language growth.

Mr. Roy, you spoke about the growth of the population, which will double over the next 25 years. You emphasized the young age of Africa's population, with 70% of people under the age of 30. There are major opportunities for Canada and Quebec.

For a number of years, you have been emphasizing the need to forge partnerships with Africa, rather than focusing on development assistance. The Global Affairs Canada officials who appeared before this committee also emphasized the importance of partnerships in their testimony. That said, they seemed to be flying blind, unsure of where they were headed or what route to take. There was talk of an African strategy. This became a type of African policy, which turned into a framework for Africa. Now, according to the officials involved, people no longer know what to call it.

How should the Canadian government turn things around?

[Jean-Louis Roy]

By renegotiating the free trade agreement in recent years, Canada has sorted out its relationship with the United States and North America. It sorted out its relationship with Europe by establishing a free trade agreement. It's now seeking to sort out—and rightly so—its relationship with the Indo‑Pacific region through Canada's Indo‑Pacific strategy.

Canada needs something equivalent for Africa. What does Canada really want to do in Africa? Where is Canada prepared to commit its resources and best talent? I spoke about this earlier. Is it in energy, agriculture or education?

I would like to speak briefly about education. Over 600 million children will be entering the African school systems. I don't know what this entails, but it's a huge number of children. Could Canada take the lead in a global coalition to ensure that African children attend school? African countries have made a significant effort. Around 85% of children attend primary school and 40% attend secondary school. However, fewer girls than boys attend secondary school, which is a major rights issue.

What happens when, suddenly, 30 or 40 million children a year enter the system? We need to think about this situation. Actually, instead of thinking, it's time to take action. Education systems must be created and teachers must be trained for large groups. Otherwise, the Islamic schools will do the job, if you know what I mean. These independent and private schools, which operate outside any form of oversight, are the type of nonsense increasingly seen on the African continent.

I would like to get back to your question. Do I have another minute?