Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would say that, given Africa's significant population growth, the primary objective should be to figure out how to achieve rapid but inclusive growth so lots of people can benefit from that growth in a sustainable way. SMEs now make up 80% of Africa's economy, but access to financing and business support services is lacking. They need finance support systems. Which industries should we focus on? There are lots of industries, but one that's very promising for Africa is the agri-food sector. It's very labour-intensive, and it contributes to both food and economic growth needs. We talked about biodiversity earlier. How can we grow the agri-food sector with SMEs in a sustainable way and in a way that builds climate resilience?
We also have to figure out where in Africa we have an advantage. Canada clearly has a special advantage in francophone Africa for the reason touched on earlier. Partnerships in francophone Africa are changing, and Canada has a special role to play in that. We can certainly be active everywhere in Africa, but I would recommend focusing on francophone Africa, and West Africa in particular.