Opinion | Isaac Bayor
June 2025

Africa: The Missing Piece in Mark Carney’s Mandate for Canada

Canada’s Evolving Global Priorities

In an era of global realignment, Canada risks overlooking one of its most strategically important partners: Africa. Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent mandate letter understandably focuses on domestic challenges like economic resilience and affordability. But the absence of Africa from the government’s stated priorities represents more than a simple policy oversight. It is a missed opportunity to reaffirm and strengthen Canada’s evolving relationship with a region that holds growing global significance and a history of cooperation with Canada.

Prime Minister Carney presented his Cabinet with a single, consolidated mandate letter outlining his government’s top-line priorities. This choice of one consolidated mandate reflects the Prime Minister’s preference for a streamlined Cabinet structure and a unified policy direction. What stood out to those of us working in global policy, however, was not only the absence of Africa but also the limited attention given to international development, humanitarian assistance, and broader global cooperation.

The limited attention to Africa and international development in the mandate letter contrasts with the government’s recent campaign platform. Prime Minister Carney’s 2025 platform reaffirmed Canada’s global role, including commitments to maintain humanitarian assistance, promote gender equality abroad, and expand the reach of FinDev Canada in emerging economies.

These were not peripheral promises—they were presented as part of Canada’s broader international leadership and values-based foreign policy. Their absence from the mandate letter creates some uncertainty about how these priorities will be carried forward. It also risks sending mixed signals to international partners, including those in Africa, who have long viewed Canada as a steady and engaged collaborator.

Beyond the Home Front: Africa Still Counts

Understandably, some may view Africa as a secondary concern in a time of rising economic uncertainty at home, when affordability, trade disruptions, and questions about Canada’s long-term competitiveness are top of mind. Yet, strategic engagement with regions like Africa can reinforce Canada’s economic resilience by opening new markets, diversifying trade, and strengthening supply chains in ways that directly benefit Canadians.

With a rapidly growing population, a strong voice in multilateral institutions, and expanding leadership in areas such as renewable energy, digital innovation, and critical mineral supply chains, the​African continent is becoming an increasingly significant player in global affairs. For Canada, these dynamics offer practical opportunities to diversify trade, strengthen supply chains, and contribute to shared global priorities.

While Canada has approached its engagement with Africa at a measured pace, other global players, particularly China and Russia, are moving quickly to deepen their relationships across the continent. Without a clear and consistent strategy, Canada risks losing ground in a region where influence, partnerships, and access to emerging markets are actively being reshaped.

There’s Already a Framework to Build On

The path forward for Canada-Africa relations isn’t uncharted; a framework already exists. Canada’s Africa Strategy, launched by the previous Liberal government, framed the continent as a partner in mutual prosperity and security, with five areas of focus: economic cooperation, youth employment, climate resilience, peace and security, and diaspora relations. The Strategy was shaped through consultations with African partners and Canadian stakeholders, reflecting a shared interest in deeper cooperation.

Recent engagement also lays a foundation. Over the past five years, trade between Canada and African countries grew by nearly 30 percent, reaching $15.1 billion in 2024. During the same period, Canada invested approximately $4.5 billion in international assistance across the continent, supporting innovation, health, and education. These efforts have created more stable and collaborative conditions, providing momentum that the current government can build on.

A Path Forward: What the Government Can Do Now

To seize this opportunity and reaffirm Canada’s role in global engagement, Prime Minister Carney’s government can take immediate, practical steps.

 

First, it should reaffirm Canada’s support for the recently launched Canada-Africa Strategy, signaling continuity and recognizing Africa as a valued partner. Second, identifying clear thematic priority areas for engagement would demonstrate a readiness to move from intent to action. Third, sustaining and strengthening Canada’s engagement in African-led multilateral forums, including the African Union and its regional economic communities, would provide concrete opportunities to build trust, advance shared interests, and support mutual prosperity.

 

In addition, the government should take concrete steps to deepen economic cooperation by scaling up Canada’s trade and investment instruments tailored to African priorities. This includes:

 

  • Expanding the reach of FinDev Canada to finance high-impact private sector solutions in African markets, especially those led by women and youth or focused on climate innovation.

 

  • Modernizing Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements (FIPAs) to better align with Africa’s regulatory, development, and policy contexts—ensuring they foster mutual benefit and long-term sustainability.

 

  • Enhancing the accessibility and impact of Canada’s preferential trade programs, such as the Least Developed Country Tariff (LDCT) and the General Preferential Tariff (GPT), by investing in technical support and simplifying administrative procedures for African exporters.

 

  • Strengthening the Trade Commissioner Service in Africa to provide more targeted market intelligence and partnership facilitation, particularly in priority sectors like digital innovation, renewable energy, and agribusiness.

 

  • Investing in institutional partnerships and knowledge collaboration with African think tanks, research institutions, and innovation hubs to generate evidence-based, context-sensitive insights that can inform Canada’s trade and investment decisions.