About CIDA

CIDA is Canada's lead agency for development assistance. CIDA's aim is to:

• Manage Canada's support and resources effectively and accountably to achieve meaningful, sustainable results
• Engage in policy development in Canada and internationally, enabling Canada's effort to realize its development objectives.

Want to know more about the structure and scope of CIDA? About the key policies that shape CIDA's work around the world? Curious to know where CIDA maintains a presence in Canada and what are the results of CIDA activities?

This section of CIDA's website provides a number of windows through which to gain a better understanding of what CIDA is all about.

The Government of Canada is committed to making its international assistance more efficient, focused and accountable. A key element of this aid effectiveness agenda is transparency. As such, CIDA is fully committed to make public useful information to enhance its transparency and accountability.

CIDA's plans, priorities, and results

• CIDA's mission is to lead Canada's international effort to help people living in poverty.
• Canada's aid effectiveness agenda guides how Canada's aid is more efficient, focused and accountable.
• Three priority themes are part of that agenda and guide CIDA's work:
  • Increasing food security
  • Securing the future of children and youth
  • Stimulating sustainable economic growth
  
  
• CIDA publishes the Report on Plans and Priorities, which broadly describes activities and planned budgets for the forthcoming year. The report made available on both Treasury Board's and CIDA's websites.
• CIDA issues key reports highlighting results. These reports include the Departmental Performance Report, and the annual Development for Results report, as well as progress and results for each of its countries of focus.
• CIDA releases the Statistical Report on International Assistance, which covers Canada's total development assistance, detailing not only CIDA's work but also that of other departments within the Government of Canada.
• CIDA produces the Report to Parliament on the Government of Canada's Official Development Assistance (PDF, 708 KB, 59 pages), which summarizes activities undertaken by federal government departments and agencies that deliver the Government of Canada's official contribution toward international poverty reduction.

CIDA's commitments

• CIDA is part of the Government of Canada's Open Government initiative and provides access to statistical data and other information through its Open Data website.
• Canada is leading a global commitment, through the G-8 Muskoka Initiative, to improve maternal, newborn and child health in developing countries and reduce the number of preventable deaths.
• Facts on Canada's progress on meeting G-8 development commitments in five key areas―international assistance, economic development, health, food security, and peace and security―have been issued.
• Canadians are kept informed on key international development challenges such as lack of access to nutritious food, safe drinking water, adequate health care, and basic education, as well as on Canada's progress toward reaching its commitments to the Millennium Development Goals.
• CIDA is helping to fulfill Canada's international commitments through its participation in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

CIDA's programs and projects

• CIDA achieves development results through its different programs and projects around the world by working:
  • with our multilateral and global partners such as the World Food Programme and the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM)
  • through partnerships with Canadians
  • directly in developing countries through geographic programs that are in line with the country's poverty reduction plan and priorities.
• CIDA responds to a variety of critical humanitarian needs around the world, working in coordination with other government departments and key humanitarian partners. Updates on Canada's efforts in countries recently affected by natural disasters, such as Pakistan and Haiti, as well as in East Africa, are available.
• Programming strategies have been posted for each of CIDA's countries of focus and key multilateral partners.
• Regular reports on Canada's efforts in Afghanistan, including CIDA's development and humanitarian programs, are available as part of the Government of Canada's quarterly reports to Parliament.
• CIDA maintains a searchable database of its projects through the Project Browser. Under each project, users can find:
  • a brief description of the project, along with CIDA's maximum contribution in Canadian dollars
  • the name of the organization responsible for executing the project
  • the status and start and end date of the project
  • the country or countries where the project is taking place
  • expected results
  • progress and results achieved
• CIDA issues stories from the field to inform Canadians on projects and to illustrate the work being done with partners.
• Through geo-mapping, Canadians can review interactive maps of CIDA-funded projects.

CIDA is accountable

• Results-based management that integrates strategy, people, resources, processes, and measurements to improve decision-making, transparency, and accountability plays a fundamental role in demonstrating the integrity of CIDA's programming and its value.
• CIDA conducts evaluations on all of its programs in order to continuously improve their design, delivery, and results.
• CIDA has an External Departmental Audit Committee and regularly performs audits of its programs to ensure effective, efficient, and prudent use of its resources.
• CIDA adheres to the proactive disclosure of financial and human resources-related information for government departments and agencies.
• CIDA publishes completed access to information requests processed each month.

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