Foreign aid groups are hailing the federal Liberal government’s return to a policy of increasing humanitarian and development spending each year, while asking for a plan to push allies to reverse a global decline in aid.
The Liberals pledged in their Tuesday budget to increase humanitarian aid by $150 million in the current fiscal year and $200 million the following year.
International Development Minister Ahmed Hussen would not confirm the total amount of Canada’s foreign aid, though Higgins pegs that total at just over $7 billion this year, and $7.2 billion next year.
“We can talk about the details at another time, in terms of the number-crunching. What I can tell you because the budget was just introduced, is we’re very happy with the fact that our government is doubling down on international assistance,” Hussen said in a Wednesday interview.
The Liberals faced persistent criticism a year ago from the aid sector when they earmarked $6.9 billion in funding for development and humanitarian needs, a 15 per cent decline from the previous year.
The Trudeau government has pledged to increase foreign aid ever year they’re in office, but the Liberals said they made exceptional increases to aid spending to account for the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, eventually exceeding $8 billion.
Global Affairs Canada has been asked to confirm whether the total amount of aid for this year is indeed $7 billion. Higgins said the government needs to be more transparent in how it reports data.
The new humanitarian funding comes at what Higgins calls an unprecedented state of need and complexity, with major wars in the Gaza Strip, Ukraine and Sudan, along with conflict and mass migration crises in Myanmar, Nigeria and Venezuela.
Countries known for their aid spending such as the U.K. and France have cut back on foreign aid, citing pressures on their domestic economies. UNICEF Canada says nearly a quarter of the world’s children are living in or fleeing from conflict zones.
Hussen said Canada’s aid will continue to put a focus on supporting women and helping them create the conditions for peace.
“When others are withdrawing, or talking about withdrawing from the world, we are doubling down on our engagement,” he said.
“Our government believes and knows the value of international aid, and the results that it delivers all around the world, and right here at home. So Canada is shaping a world that is more peaceful, more prosperous, and more resilient.”
The budget also reaffirms Canada’s pledges to push for the reform of multilateral financing institutions like the World Bank. The aim is help poor countries escape debt traps and the financial burden of catastrophic natural disasters, moving instead toward being able to invest in infrastructure that’s more resilient to climate change.