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Published : 10 Mar 2025, 07:32 PM
Bangladesh and countries in the Indo-Pacific region are set to receive $272.1 million in fresh funding from Canada through foreign aid projects, Canada’s Minister of International Development Ahmed Hussen has announced.
The money, which will be spent alongside contributions from other foreign partners and donors, is set to finance 14 different projects in Bangladesh and other countries in the Indo-Pacific region, Canadian media outlet Global News reported on Monday.
“Canada continues to fiercely strengthen our long-lasting friendship with Bangladesh and the wider Indo-Pacific region with our long-standing people-to-people ties,” Hussen said in a statement.
He also underlined Canada's aim of creating a “brighter tomorrow for the global community” by supporting vulnerable communities’ healthcare services, empowering women and addressing climate change.
The projects in focus involve gender equality, sexual and reproductive health and rights for women and girls, along with improved access to inclusive education and skills training, the report said.
One of the projects, described as “Empowering Women in the Nursing Sector”, includes a $6.3 million funding boost over three years to Canadian company Cowater International, the report said, citing the Canadian government.
Other projects are designed to help communities “strengthen their resilience to climate change”, “boost civic engagement” and “reduce poverty”, the report added.
The Canadian federal Liberal government’s approach to foreign development assistance is in stark contrast to US President Donald Trump’s administration.
Trump halted funding through the United States Agency for International Development, or USAID, viewing foreign aid programmes as a “waste of taxpayers’ money” and arguing they support “liberal political agendas”.
Trump and his new government efficiency czar, businessman Elon Musk, froze US foreign aid for 90 days after he took power, shutting down aid programmes around the world.
Hessen and British Columbia Liberal Member of Parliament Parm Bains announced the aid at a Vancouver event attended by leaders of the Bangladeshi community, Global News reported.
The Bangladeshi-Canadian community now includes more than 100,000 people, the federal government estimates.
