At the G20 summit in South Africa in November, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced several new initiatives, including talks toward a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) with South Africa.
But when asked about prioritizing Africa’s economic opportunities for Canada, Carney said Africa is not among his government’s early priorities because other regions offered “the most immediate return.” That remark was at odds with what many Canadians and African partners have been urging Canadian officials to do: treat Africa as a core partner in Canada’s economic diversification plan, diplomatic and geopolitical future.
