Members of IICA’s delegation to Canada participated in the 2016 International Forum, jointly organized by CECI and WUSC, in Ottawa on January 22 and 23, 2016.
Ottawa, ON. The forum is an annual event to share the best practices in international development. Representatives from governments, international cooperation organizations, civil society organizations, private sector, and international development researchers and specialists/practitioners attended the event.
at the International Forum held in January 22-23, 2016 in Ottawa.
The 2016 forum provided the opportunity to explore current approaches and practices to overcome the barriers that exclude youth and women from much needed economic growth. Conference participants discussed how markets are being reinvented at the local and global levels to better respond to the needs, potential and aspirations of youth and women. Presenters made the case that building economies that include, rather than exclude, will create more sustainable societies in the future.
One of the highlights of the event was the presentation by the keynote speaker Nina Junk, a prize-winning Canadian-American journalist whose work has appeared in prestigious magazines such as the New York Times, The New Yorker, and Fortune. Nina spoke about her most recent book – The Idealist and tactfully described the hopes and downsides of foreign aid and development.
Trudy Werry, IICA Canada, provided a presentation on “Improving capacity of small enterprises in Colombia and Peru to meet Canadian requirements” in the themed session related to “Enabling Inclusive Markets”. The presentation contributed to a panel discussion on the changing role of the private sector in international development. The session examined case studies involving collaboration among partners, highlighting best practices and challenges in past interventions. It was clear that the role of the private sector in development is important and that aligning the goals of development with that of private interests is in fact achievable.
