Why is CIDA involved in regional initiatives?
The rationale for a regional program is to support the sustainable development of individual countries and of the region as a whole. Such a strategy allows CIDA to address development issues which cut across national boundaries and are common to most South American countries. CIDA’s regional program in South America enhances economies of scale: funded initiatives benefit several countries rather than one. The program also increases the capacity of region-wide institutions to address development challenges in countries where CIDA has no active country-to-country program, as is the case in Chile, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The South America Regional Program supports Canada’s Foreign Policy objectives, which stress the growing importance of our relations with other countries of the Americas. It also promotes regional integration and the adoption of Canadian values throughout the hemisphere, including respect for human rights, democracy, the rule of law and the protection of the envi
