VZCZCXRO5122
PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHQU RUEHVC
DE RUEHOT #2280 3522213
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 182213Z DEC 07
FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7046
INFO RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 0149
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE PRIORITY 0153
UNCLAS OTTAWA 002280
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAN, EEB/IFD/ODF, AND AF/EPS
STATE PASS USAID FOR AFR AND EGAT
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON IDA AF CA
SUBJECT: NEW CANADIAN PLEDGE TO THE WORLD BANK'S
INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
1. ON DECEMBER 14, CANADIAN FINANCE MINISTER FLAHERTY
ANNOUNCED THAT CANADA WILL CONTRIBUTE CDOLS 1.3 BILLION TO
THE WORLD BANK'S INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION. "OUR
GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING CANADA'S INTERNATIONAL
ASSISTANCE IS EFFECTIVE AND THAT TAXPAYERS' MONEY IS WELL
SPENT, THE MINISTER TOLD THE PRESS. HE ADDED THAT "THE
CONTRIBUTION, A 25-PERCENT INCREASE, IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF
THAT COMMITMENT. IDA HAS A LONG HISTORY OF PROVIDING
ASSISTANCE TO COUNTRIES THAT NEED IT MOST, AND HAS
ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION AS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE
DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTIONS."
2. THE THREE-YEAR CONTRIBUTION TO THE 15TH REPLENISHMENT OF
IDA WAS CONFIRMED AT THE BERLIN REPLENISHMENT MEETING ON
DECEMBER 13-14. THE MONEY REPRESENTS AN INCREASE OF CDOLS
262 MILLION AND WILL PUSH CANADA'S SHARE OF IDA FUNDING TO
NEARLY 4 PERCENT, CANADA'S HIGHEST SHARE IN 10 YEARS. THE
CONTRIBUTION IS ALSO PART OF THE 2007 CANADIAN FEDERAL BUDGET
COMMITMENT TO DOUBLE CANADIAN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE BY
2010-11 FROM 2001-02 LEVELS. IT IS ALSO PART OF THE HARPER
GOVERNMENTS INTENTION TO DOUBLE INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE TO
AFRICA BY 2008-09 FROM 2003-04 LEVELS, AS 50 PERCENT OF IDA'S
RESOURCES ARE EXPECTED TO GO TO AFRICA.
3. CANADA BELIEVES THAT THE NEW FINANCING WILL ALLOW IDA TO
ENHANCE ITS FOCUS ON EFFECTIVE DELIVERY OF AID, FINANCING FOR
LARGE REGIONAL PROJECTS LIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, AND SPECIAL
ASSISTANCE FOR FRAGILE STATES SUCH AS AFGHANISTAN AND HAITI,
WHILE ENSURING THAT COUNTRIES DO NOT TAKE ON UNSUSTAINABLE
LEVELS OF DEBT.
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada
WILKINS