…Says ratification of FIPA next important step to boost Canada-Nigeria trade ties
From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, James Christoff, has said that foundational conditions contributed to the poverty in the country.
In this interview with Daily Sun in Abuja, Christoff listed the conditions to include high population growth rates, gender inequality, insecurity, climate change impacts on availability of food and other resources, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor, corruption and distribution of resources. He recalled the 2022 Multidimensional Poverty Index survey, which indicated that 63 per cent of the Nigerian population, or 133 million people, were living in poverty (multidimensionally poor).
The Canadian envoy said the question for both countries becomes what are the opportunities with which Canada and Nigeria can work in collaboration with the population, governments and other partners to address the foundational issues.
What are the major milestones recorded between Canada and Nigeria since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1962?
Canada and Nigeria have a deep and warm historical relationship based on shared values and interests that span our bi-lateral engagement, as well as our cooperation within multilateral fora, and imbued within the large and thriving community of Nigerian descent in Canada. We have close and cooperative ties with Nigeria, underpinned by many milestones and key initiatives over time. With that said, a few more recent examples do come to mind: Canada donated a laboratory facility to Lagos State, which served an important testing role during the outbreak of COVID. Canada has assisted in addressing a number of critical issues in the North East of Nigeria in recent years, supporting healthcare development, through funding of organisations such as ICRC and UNICEF.
Finally, if I may note an aspirational item, I am hopeful that the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), which was signed on May 6, 2014, can be ratified and support deeper economic cooperation between our countries.
In 2019, the total number of Nigerian students in Canada was 11,667, the highest figures from Africa. What is the current status?
On December 31, 2021, there were 13,745 Nigerian students in Canada. We are pleased that Nigerian students are increasingly choosing Canada as a destination for study. It brings our countries closer together.
What are the statistics on the number of applications the High Commission has received in recent time from Nigerians seeking visas to Canada either for study, work, visit, et cetera, on daily, weekly or monthly basis?
Please, see the attached statistics, but note that applications may not be processed in the same year they are received. Applications from around the world are reviewed consistently and according to the same criteria, regardless of country of origin. Applications are assessed case by case. Decisions are made by highly trained officers who carefully and systematically assess each application against the criteria set out in Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and its regulations.
Are the applications taking a toll on Canada’s economy, vis infrastructure?
The 2023-2025 Immigration Levels Plan focuses on attracting skilled workers who will contribute to Canada’s economy, while recognizing the importance of family reunification and helping the world’s vulnerable populations through refugee resettlement.
This multi-year levels plan will position Canada to address current labour shortages, and attract new skilled workers to help build our economy moving forward. Increasing immigration helps address long-standing challenges, such as decreasing worker to retiree ratio, a low fertility rate, and labour shortages, which will continue to affect us even after the side effects of the pandemic subside.
Our well-managed immigration system allows us to attract the world’s top talent while offsetting the effects of an aging population. Immigration helps address labour shortages in key industries, while spurring innovation that leads to job creation. In the long term, without immigration, demographic trends will result in fewer workers to support our aging population. For context, some 50 years ago, there were seven workers for every retiree in Canada. Today there’s about three and it will be closer to two in approximately 20 years.
Canada also remains a world-class leader in providing settlement services to support newcomers’ integration into society and the labour market. Rural and northern communities face specific economic and demographic challenges, including out-migration of youth, aging populations, and labour market shortages. The Government of Canada encourages newcomers to settle in smaller, rural communities, through our regional immigration pilots and programs. The Government of Canada is taking action on several fronts to ease housing pressures, including proposing a tax on under-used housing to support investments in housing affordability. Investments in public transit that will help local governments unlock more housing supply, and historic investments in early learning and child care to make life more affordable for young families.
Newcomers play a crucial role in the future of our communities and our economy, and we do everything we can to set them up for success. The Government of Canada works closely with both our municipal and provincial partners in developing our annual Immigration Levels Plan, which sets the number of newcomers and permanent residents that Canada welcomes every year.
In 2021, trade volume between Canada and Nigeria was $2.67 billion. What is the current volume of trade between both countries?
Our trade statistics are calculated annually, so we do not yet have the 2022 numbers.
While Canadian merchandise imports from Nigeria were $2.1 billion in 2021, Canada’s exports to Nigeria totalled $605.4 million. How can both countries close the gap in trade volume?
The bilateral trade numbers show a surplus for Nigeria, but our chief interest is simply in growing the two-way trade relationship and country to country business ties. Earlier mentioned the FIPA, Canada’s view is that ratifying this agreement is the next important step to take towards growing our trade ties.
Between 2020 and 2021, Canada expended the sum of $126.60 million on development assistance in Nigeria. Is Canada satisfied with the disbursement? And in which particular areas were the funds utilised?
Over the last five years or so, Canada’s investment in development assistance to Africa has reached close to 50 percent of all Canada’s development assistance, and Nigeria is the ninth biggest recipient of Canadian international assistance in Africa. Canada’s investment in Nigeria comes in two forms, through bilateral agreements and through multilateral/multi-country arrangements. Bilaterally, Canada focuses on four key areas that are aimed at improving the lives of women and girls, based on Canada’s overarching Feminist International Assistance Policy (or FIAP). These are investments in: Women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and primary health care; Girls’ access to education, particularly in conflict areas; Women’s economic empowerment, particularly in the areas of agricultural livelihoods and increased access to finance; Women’s rights organizations, particularly to build capacity in civil society organizations that are working to address issues such as sexual and gender-based violence, women’s economic empowerment and women’s political participation.
On a multilateral and multi-country basis, Canada invests its money in Nigeria through international financial institutions such the World Bank, African Development Bank, as well as global initiatives such as the Vaccine Alliance and the Global Environment Facility. Focus areas for our multilateral investments include those listed earlier (women’s health, access to education, economic empowerment and women’s rights) but also include investments to address issues such as: Disease containment and eradication through vaccines and health system strengthening; Climate Mitigation and Adaptation through transition to clean energy, strengthening climate resilience, and increasing biodiversity; Food Security and Food Systems strengthening, including Climate Smart Agriculture and Peace and Security. Canada is proud to be investing in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls as we believe this is the best way to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.
On the website of the Canadian High Commission, it is written that “Canada is closely monitoring the humanitarian situation in Nigeria, particularly the plight of populations affected by the Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) insurgencies, both in Nigeria and throughout the Lake Chad Basin. Canada works with international partners to help respond to humanitarian needs in Nigeria, as well as those of Nigerian refugees and host communities in the neighbouring Cameroon, Chad and Niger.” How much has Canada committed to this cause in Nigeria and other affected countries since the beginning of the crisis?
Since the onset of the Lake Chad Basin crisis, Canada has been a steadfast donor and has provided funding to key international humanitarian partners to meet the needs of conflict-affected and vulnerable populations across the region. Canada has supported experienced humanitarian partners such as the Red Cross, UN agencies, and NGOs in providing a gender-responsive multi-sectoral response to address the specific needs of conflict-affected women, girls, men and boys. This includes providing in-kind food and cash assistance, treatment for acute malnutrition and other critical health care, safe water and sanitation, protection services, and support for livelihoods to vulnerable populations.
To date in 2022, Canada has allocated over $50 million in the Lake Chad Basin, including $6.25 million in Cameroon, $11.9 million in Chad, $9.9 million in Niger, and over $27 million in Nigeria. Canada remains concerned by the growing level and scale of insecurity and needs in the Lake Chad Basin. We are closely monitoring the evolving situation and will continue to respond, as appropriate.
In what ways is Canada providing security assistance to Nigeria?
Through our Feminist International Assistance Policy and all related programs, Canada is committed to reducing threats and to facilitating stability and development in states affected by armed conflicts. With that approach, we contribute to build a more peaceful, inclusive and prosperous Nigeria, leading to enhanced security within the country.
Our programming puts a particular emphasis and importance on women and girls, and gender equality and is based on the conviction that all people should enjoy the same fundamental human rights and be given the same opportunities to succeed.
There is the Women, Peace and Security Agenda, which is a key component of Canada’s Feminist Foreign Policy. On this agenda, we continue to work hard in close collaboration with governments, civil society and the private sector, to bring UN Security Council Resolution 1325 to life in concrete ways. Canada is making these efforts because we know that building sustainable peace requires women’s meaningful and equal participation. And Nigeria is no different. In doing so, we aim to strengthen the foundation upon which long term security can be sustained.
Terrorism, kidnapping and banditry are plaguing Nigeria and its citizens. What can Canada do to help Nigeria overcome these challenges? There has also been clamour by Nigerians that the government should seek foreign help to tackle insecurity in the country. Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has also alluded to the possibility of hiring foreign mercenaries to tackle insecurity in the state. Is Canada, in partnership with Nigeria, thinking towards this direction?
Canada wants to play a constructive role in Nigeria, and we are open to any conversation that the Government of Nigeria wants engage in.
Through our international development assistance programming and humanitarian assistance, Canada focuses on creating the conditions for increased stability, prosperity and cohesion in Nigeria, leading to enhanced security within the country.
Our programming puts a particular emphasis and importance on women and girls, and gender equality. In doing so, we aim to strengthen the foundation upon which long term security can be sustained.
Despite the efforts of the Nigerian Government and its partners to alleviate the suffering of the mass population, poverty still subsist in the country. Where do you think Nigeria is getting it wrong and what is the way out of the situation?
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa at over 220 million people, and according to the recent Multidimensional Poverty Index, 63 percent of the population, or 133 million people, are living in poverty. This means the development challenges and opportunities are huge. Foundational conditions such as high population growth rates, gender inequality, insecurity, climate change impacts on availability of food and other resources, the wealth gap between the rich and the poor, corruption, and distribution of resources all contribute to Nigeria’s poverty.
The question for us becomes what are the opportunities with which we can work in collaboration with the population, governments and other partners to address the foundational issues. Among priorities for Nigeria, Canada focusses on investing in gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as we believe this is the best way to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Nigeria.