Engineering opportunities in developing countries could revive
July 3, 2013
By
Canadian Consulting Engineer
With the passage of the Canadian government's omnibus budget bill, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was formally folded into a new Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development last week.
With the passage of the Canadian government’s omnibus budget bill, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) was formally folded into a new Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development last week.
Consulting engineers have done much work in developing countries on behalf of CIDA in the past. However, commissions had dwindled to a trickle since CIDA focused on “soft” economic and social projects rather than building hard infrastructure such as roads and hydropower reservoirs.
Under International Development Minister Julian Fantino the government has shifted course and has decided to more closely align its aid programs with its trade mandate to provide opportunities for Canadian businesses. This could mean more opportunities for Canadian engineering firms to bring their design expertise to developing countries.
On its website, www.international.gc.ca, the purpose of the new department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada is described as combining both international aid with trade development. Its mandate is: “to manage Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations, to encourage the country’s international trade and to lead Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance.”
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