Will changes to the Canadian International Development Agency increase its effectiveness?

A few comments in the recent federal budget seem to indicate changes for the Canadian International Development Agency. Robert Shepherd of CBC News reports that speculation is running rampant in the foreign aid community after Ottawa indicated that it will seek to be among the top five donors in its core countries of interest and put more of their staff in the field.

This follows the model of the British Department for International Development (DFID), which chooses to place many of its staff in the field to allow effective bilateral engagement with receiver countries. Those opposed to the transfer of staff from headquarters to the field argue that this move will lead to larger administrative expenses but when combined with a focused plan more field staff could prevent the government from wasting millions of dollars of aid money due to increased accountability and efficient delivery of funds.

Time will show how these changes impact the government’s main vehicle for foreign aid. I think if Canada chooses to engage in a developing country they should engage fully rather than sprinkling a few goodies and moving on to the next place in need. It is only through sustained long term commitment that aid dollars can really make lasting change.