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The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) is the primary federal government agency administering Canada’s development assistance program. Its goal is to reduce poverty, promote human rights, and support sustainable development in developing countries. CIDA’s work targets high-impact areas: health (including HIV/AIDS), basic education, democracy and human rights, economic development, equality between women and men, and the environment. The Agency also responds to humanitarian emergencies, provides training and technical assistance, and shares its experience and knowledge about development with its partners.

CIDA is currently supporting projects in many regions of the world. Development partner countries are carefully selected on the basis of level of poverty, need or risk, the country’s ability to use aid effectively, and Canada’s capacity to make a difference. CIDA supports projects in:

• sub-Saharan Africa
• North Africa and the Middle East
• Asia
• the Americas
• Eastern Europe

CIDA delivers Canada’s development assistance program with the help of experienced and knowledgeable partners in Canada and abroad. It collaborates closely with its main partners, the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, the Department of National Defence, and the Department of Finance, along with several other federal departments. The Agency also works in partnership with developing countries, Canadian organizations, institutions and businesses, and multilateral organizations and agencies.

Through CIDA, Canada is working with countries around the world to accomplish what no nation can do alone. At the United Nations Millennium Summit in September 2000, world leaders agreed on a set of eight goals to guide and coordinate international development efforts. With support from CIDA, thousands of individual Canadians and hundreds of organizations, businesses, and institutions are working with partners in developing countries to reach these goals by 2015.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set out an ambitious agenda to:

1. eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
2. achieve universal primary education
3. promote gender equality and empower women
4. reduce child mortality
5. improve maternal health
6. combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
7. ensure environmental sustainability
8. develop a global partnership for development

These goals are linked to 18 measurable targets, such as reducing by half the proportion of people living on less than $1 a day, cutting in half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water, and reducing by two thirds the mortality rate of children under 5.

A Developing World map and website focus on five of the MDGs and six of the specific targets as indicated by the above links.

The interactive map also offers links to CIDA fact sheets about developing countries where CIDA has played or is playing a role, and to more information about Canadian development assistance in these countries. These links can be found at the bottom of the country indicator listings.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT) is the federal government department responsible for representing Canada around the world through its network of embassies, and trade and diplomatic offices, and by participating in multilateral institutions and international treaties and arrangements.

It works to promote prosperity, ensure Canadians' security within a global framework, and promote Canadian values and culture on the international stage. It also offers travel assistance and passport services to Canadians at home and abroad.

Some of the country links on the interactive map will take you directly to the DFAIT website, which offers in-depth country fact sheets as well as summaries of Canada's relations with these countries.

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Forces exist to protect Canada, defend North America in cooperation with the United States, and contribute to international peace and security.

DND comprises more than 100,000 employees, which includes about 62,000 regular force members, 25,000 reserve force members, 4,000 Canadian Rangers, and some 20,000 civilian employees.

At this moment, thousands of Canadian men and women in uniform are overseas on operations helping to enhance peace and security.

Since 1947, the Canadian Forces has completed more than 70 international operations, not including current operations or the many domestic operations carried out in Canada. Whether delivering humanitarian relief or helping stabilize wartorn areas, the members of the Canadian Forces work to improve the lives of thousands of people in other countries.

More about the evolution of peacekeeping and current or recent international operations can be found at http://www.forces.gc.ca/site/operations/current_ops_e.asp.

The Department of Finance participates in debt-relief initiatives that help heavily indebted poor countries use more of their own resources for development programs, rather than for interest payments.

Canada takes part in a number of international trade, financial and economic organizations, such as the World Bank, the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and the Financial Stability Forum. Canada also takes part in the G8 and the G20. Finance Canada has a lead role in managing our country’s activities in these institutions.

Membership at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank provides Canada with a valuable opportunity to participate in decisions related to international monetary stability and global poverty reduction.