Foreign Affairs Committee on Jan. 27th, 2026

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

We're planning a couple of trade missions around the continent. This year, we have the AI continental mission. We have a global health mission. We also have a critical mineral mission. There will be one in February in South Africa—the Indaba—on mining. There are a lot of events right now on the continent.

As you know, the African Union has a continental strategy for a couple of subjects like energy, global health, water and blue economy. We're planning to be part of the discussion here. We won't be everywhere, but for strategic reasons, we will go on mining for sure, on energy as another part, and maybe for maritime and global health.

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

How are we measuring progress against the Africa strategy? Is that going to be done through the departmental results reports or is that going to be done separately in addition to that?

I ask because the government is rewriting the Indo-Pacific strategy, as I understand it. My understanding is that it is not doing that for the Africa strategy, so now we're into implementation.

How are we measuring results against the strategy?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Give a brief response, please.

[Susan Steffen]

I can speak briefly to that.

Indeed, I think the departmental performance report and the departmental results report will be the best places to look for information on that.

I don't feel equipped to speak to the Indo-Pacific strategy and what's happening with that.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you.

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

So the departmental results are where it's going to be.

Okay, thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Next is our new colleague joining the committee.

Welcome, MP Steven Guilbeault. You have five minutes to ask your questions.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

Colleagues, it’s a great pleasure to join this committee.

I would also like to thank our guests.

I’ll start by asking you a few questions, Mr. Diendéré. First, thank you for joining us, seeing as it’s close to midnight there. My questions are related to those asked by my Bloc Québécois colleague on the issue of international assistance. I’d just like to add that, obviously, for the past few years, over and above international assistance, there have also been targeted efforts, for instance on the issue of climate change. Over the past five years, Canada has contributed $5 billion under the Paris Agreement and nearly half a billion dollars on the issue of nature.

In your opinion, Mr. Diendéré, with the massive withdrawal of the U.S. from international assistance, which we all find regrettable, are there opportunities for Canada to play a bigger role in some key sectors or could the American pullout result in increased insecurity, particularly on the African continent, which could obviously spill over African borders significantly?

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

Thank you very much, Mr. Guilbeault.

I have a very simple saying. We can’t replace American assistance, we can’t imagine doing that. However, we can be good at what needs to be done. We can invest in this area, and Canada has been very active in the area of climate change. It has provided support to organizations like the Global Green Growth Institute, or GGGI, and a group like ARC, or the African Risk Capacity, which helps businesses and countries to adapt to climate change. We have made meaningful investments here and put real assets in place to address the climate challenge. However, I’m sorry but I can’t put on rose-coloured glasses, we can’t replace American aid. We don’t have the resources to do that. Development assistance had already been eroded. That’s what I was trying to tell Mr. Brunelle‑Duceppe earlier.

Erosion does not mean we must not invest. Instead, it means that we have to be more creative now. We can no longer continue to do business as before, and Africans themselves are already working hard to make changes. Members would be delighted to see the technologies they are deploying, the methods they are now using to adapt to climate change and to endure climate crises for which they bear little responsibility. These crises originate elsewhere and bring incredibly difficult conditions.

I’ll share one final example quickly. A minister of finance once told me that just as they try to recover from the latest climate crisis—whether flooding or drought—another strikes. The same countries are then expected to have hospitals and schools that work, technologies, and so forth. In the situation at hand, Canada can provide assistance, and not just because it has to provide development assistance. Canada can take part in reconstruction, and even do business. That’s what I’m trying to promote. In the area of climate change, no one knows all the answers. We just have to be creative and do our part.

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Laurier—Sainte-Marie, QC]

Thank you very much. I do agree with you about synergy between development assistance, whether in more traditional areas like education or health, and what we are doing on climate and conservation.

Furthermore, investments and the private sector can also play a role. There was talk about creative finance, where public sector investment can generate additional investments. Later, I’ll have some questions on this subject for Ms. Kerr, who has just joined the meeting, from the Development Finance Institute Canada, or FinDev Canada.

You pre-empted my second question when you spoke about the impacts of climate change in Africa. There is still a lot of work to do when it comes to adaptation and resilience, and many Canadian companies have developed technologies in all kinds of areas. For example, we can talk about investments in the biodiversity sector to increase resilience to some impacts of climate change. Floods, drought and rising sea levels come to mind.

Mr. Diendéré, can you tell us about this link between international assistance for the climate or nature and business opportunities for Canadian companies that help people on the African continent?

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

You only have time for a very brief response, unfortunately, because of time constraints.

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

I’ll give you an example that recaps everything you’ve said.

When I attended the 2025 African Energy Week in Cape Town, South Africa, I met with representatives from a Canadian company. Do an online search if you have time. The company is growing cacti in the Namibian desert to generate energy for mines. What I’ve just told you is astounding. The company grows cacti in a desert to generate energy for mining companies. This is actually a link between companies and business.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you.

Mr. Brunelle-Duceppe, you have two and a half minutes.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

That is quite interesting, Mr. Diendéré. We’ll do that search on the internet. I’m very interested in that.

I’d like to talk to you about the francophonie.

There are those who tell us that the future of the francophonie is in Africa, among other things. That said, can you tell us how you currently see Canada’s place within the francophonie? Are you taking any action on this file specifically?

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

I’ll answer you from my perspective in my role at the African Union, honourable member. We have an ambassador from the OIF, the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, at the African Union and we work closely with her.

You are right when you say that. The biggest francophone country in the world is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Whether we like it or not, it has the largest number of French speakers. When it comes to the francophonie, there are more than 30 francophone countries on the African continent.

For us francophones in North America, Africa is still a great continent where we need to fast-track cultural exchanges and business exchanges. Africa is a real market for those from the francophonie. The same goes with the Commonwealth. For the francophonie, Africa is a very tangible market. Yes, we’re very active here.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

This is what I want to know: How do you see Canada’s place within the francophonie, particularly with respect to Canada-Africa relations?

We’re on the same page on every single aspect: I said more or less the same thing as you before I asked you that question.

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

I’ll make this very quick, honourable member, so you don’t lose your speaking time. We have a lot of exchanges with our students and our business people. We need to strengthen these exchanges.

How is Canada doing? I think Canada can do a bit more. However, I’m not responsible for this organization.

From what I see on the continent with our francophone diaspora, we have enormous weight. That’s a role that should not be overlooked when one is Canadian and francophone.

[Alexis Brunelle-Duceppe, Bloc, Lac-Saint-Jean, QC]

I also understand that you are not the ambassador of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, the OIF, but nevertheless, you have an important role and many ties with the organization. Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have withdrawn from the OIF. So far, have you observed any impacts for these countries that have exited the organization?

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

The issue with countries that leave international organizations is not limited to the OIF. Many institutions have shut down and left the OIF.

At this point, three countries have left the Sahel. We have a special envoy for the Sahel and he can go into a little more detail about that. However, I can say that Guinea recently rejoined the OIF after going through a transition. I believe discussions are under way to determine what mechanisms could be set up with these fully francophone countries, namely Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. That might be very interesting.

That’s the shortest answer I can provide at the moment.

[The Chair, Liberal, Ahmed Hussen]

Thank you very much.

Colleagues and witnesses, before I give the floor to MP Aboultaif, I want to remind you to reduce the pace of your speaking for the benefit and the health and safety of the interpreters.

MP Aboultaif, you have five minutes.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thank you, Chair.

Welcome to you, Your Excellency, and to the team.

Your Excellency, if you were to name three priorities that you set yourself upon taking on this job, what would they be?

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

I want our country to be part of a big movement. Right now, everybody is in Africa. We have to know that. We have to have this in our minds. It's a 1.3 billion-person market.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

Thanks for the answer.

Do you want to add something? I asked for three priorities.

[Ben Marc Diendéré]

Yes. The second one, for me, is to have confidence in ourselves. We need our companies here. We have a lot of business to do on this continent. We can do it. We are Canadian.

The third one would be to at least keep the conversation going with the market diversification. We need to add Africa to this. We cannot just be here thinking about Africa for tomorrow. Africa is today; it is the continent of today. Everybody is here. The Gulf States are here. China is here. India is here. Turkey is here. Why not us? We have to come.

[Ziad Aboultaif, Conservative, Edmonton Manning, AB]

I know you said that the strategy is not the entire thing, and I agree with you. However, on the other side, there are barriers to doing business in Africa. It could be the competitiveness, the willingness to do business, the readiness to do business or the lack of government support. Do you believe that all these barriers still exist there for Canadian companies to enter the African market?