Canada's recent launch of a new Africa Strategy comes at a moment of profound geopolitical change and growing shifts in global development co-operation.
Author
- Isaac Odoom
Assistant Professor, Political Science, Carleton University
As the western-led order and development model faces increasing scrutiny, countries like China are expanding their reach in Africa by linking development co-operation with commercial and strategic interests.
These approaches resonate with many African governments, while others raise concerns, prompting an important question: How well does Canada's new strategy respond to these concerns?
Urgent need to diversify
Canada's pivot toward deeper engagement with Africa is timely. With ongoing tariff threats from the United States and a tense relationship with China , the need to diversify economic partnerships has become urgent.
Africa's fast-growing population, expanding middle class and continent-wide integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) offer real opportunities for commercial engagement.
While historic, Canada's new Africa Strategy would benefit from a clearer alignment between Africa's economic prospects and Canada's domestic economic challenges, such as labour shortages and trade diversification. Without a stronger economic dimension, Canada risks being perceived as all talk and little commitment.
That said, Canada's emphasis on "mutually beneficial partnerships" - echoing China's language on Africa - is notable, especially as western donors pull back. However, without a coherent development focus, this principle may be viewed as transactional rather than strategic.
The strategy provides a foundation to build from, but it enters a competitive arena. To build meaningful partnerships in Africa, Canada will need a more focused approach grounded in robust market research, sharper priorities and an informed understanding of Africa's political and economic realities as well as its geopolitical context.
As a researcher focused on Africa-China relations , I see important lessons Canada can draw from China's engagement in Africa.
Cautious Canada vs. confident China
Over the past two decades, China has become Africa's largest trading partner, with trade volumes reaching US$295 billion in 2024.
Backed by state financing, Chinese firms have built roads, ports, railways, dams and telecom infrastructure across the continent. This presence is no accident: for the past 30 years, every Chinese foreign minister's first trip abroad has been to Africa.
Canada's footprint, by contrast, remains modest. Canada's merchandise trade with Africa was about $15 billion in 2024 . Canada aspires to become a serious economic partner, but its commercial presence in Africa has been limited .
Notably, while China is often criticized in western media, its image in Africa is more positive. Many African leaders and citizens see China as a pragmatic partner that delivers visible infrastructure and investment.
China's positioning as a fellow developing country also contrasts sharply with western models that often carry patronizing overtones. China's readiness to finance large-scale projects in Africa with limited political strings attached has earned good will , even as concerns rightly persist about transparency, debt and governance.
Emphasizing Canada's differences
Canada should take these dynamics seriously. The narrative of "countering China" in Africa, often promoted by western governments, is ineffective. It overlooks African agency, reduces the continent to a site of great power rivalry and fails to acknowledge that African governments are actively pursuing their choice of partners, instead of a single partner of choice.
Rather than compete with China, Canada can be different. While Chinese infrastructure projects often align with African priorities, my own work on Chinese engagement in Ghana's energy projects shows that these projects are often negotiated behind closed doors, with few accountability mechanisms and scant transparency in financing. These gaps create space for Canada to offer a distinct and credible alternative.
Canada's approach can be different, but it should be no less strategic. It may not match China in scale, but it can offer commercial partnerships rooted in transparency, accountability and collaboration with partners, including those from China.
Many African governments and civil society entities are calling for exactly this kind of engagement, particularly as citizens demand greater scrutiny over foreign investment. By focusing on responsible business practices, labour standards, environmental safeguards and good governance, Canada can develop a values-based model of economic engagement.
Despite this potential, Canada's new Africa Strategy lacks financial commitment. Canada's 2022 Indo-Pacific Strategy was backed by a $2.3 billion envelope. The Africa Strategy's success will ultimately depend on its ability to mobilize concrete resources and sustained engagement.
The strategy rightly points to Africa's economic potential, but stronger links to Canada's domestic priorities, such as a workforce strategy, a trade road map and implementation tools, would enhance its impact.
References to the AfCFTA are promising, but Canadian businesses need clearer guidance and support. Realizing the strategy's goals will require measurable targets, dedicated programming and sustained investment.
A different kind of engagement
Canada's past engagement in Africa has been rooted in diplomacy, development co-operation and peacekeeping. These remain valuable, but today's African leaders are also seeking trade, investment and private-sector partnerships.
To become a trusted economic partner, Canada should engage with purpose by introducing targeted financing tools - such as credit lines or investment guarantees - to help Canadian businesses manage risk and seize opportunities aligned with AfCFTA.
It should also focus on strategic sectors where it already has strengths, like clean energy, health innovation, fintech, agri-business and infrastructure.
By investing in robust research and in dialogue with the African diaspora , business leaders and governance institutions, Canada strengthens commercial ties while prioritizing transparency, accountability and collaboration. Co-operation in innovation (for example, joint research on climate-smart agriculture or vaccines) could also yield benefits for both sides.
In an increasing multipolar environment, Africa is not waiting for Canada. It's assessing and comparing competing external partners. Canada's ability to position itself as a viable alternative depends not on replicating China's scale, but on seeing Africa as a true partner and offering mutual partnerships that appeal to Africans and Canadian alike.
The new Africa Strategy sets an important tone for renewed engagement, but its success will depend on real investment and implementation, which so far lacks dedicated funding. Filling these gaps should be the next step, regardless of who wins Monday's election.
Isaac Odoom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
