Canada and some African countries share a historical bond not only as members of the Commonwealth but also as partners of international peace and security.  Our research program in this area explores Canada’s over five decades of official activism and policy interactions in post-colonial Africa. We shine the light on global affairs in the twenty-first century in general, and in particular dissect Canada’s thematic priorities in the African continent including providing development assistance, promoting democracy, promoting peace and security as well as increasing commercial and economic ties mostly in commonwealth and Francophone countries.  

Our analysis focuses on the policy objectives informing this relationship; what policy options are needed and how they could be organized to strengthen our future in the age of unprecedented crises. 

We believe Canada’s foreign policy choices in the continent need to embrace the fluid nature of global transformations and provide creative pathways for confronting deeper social and economic cleavages both at home and abroad.