Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to increase Canada’s spending on the global fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria but told the Star that overall, Canada will not meet the target for foreign aid spending set by the UN.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to increase Canada’s spending on the global fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria but told the Star that overall, Canada will not meet the target for foreign aid spending set by the UN.
Photo Credit: Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press

Canada will not meet UN goal for foreign aid

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the Toronto Star that Canada will not meet the UN goal of spending 0.7 per cent of its GDP on foreign aid this year and likely not next year either. This came after Trudeau pledged $785 million for the global fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria at an event in Ottawa attended by philanthropist Melinda Gates.

Several countries meet UN goal

The United Nations set the foreign aid target in 1970 in a bid to help end poverty and improve public health in developing countries. Some countries do spend 0.7 per cent of their GDP or more on foreign aid. They include Britain, Luxembourg, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands. Canada only spent 0.28 per cent in 2015, up from 0.24 per cent in the previous year, reports the Star.

‘Buckets of money’ not necessarily best, says leader

Trudeau told the newspaper the UN target is too ambitious for this year and “probably” for next year as well. “We look towards increasing the benefits and outcomes around the world, creating opportunities for everyone. But we just know that throwing buckets of money indiscriminately at a problem isn’t necessarily the best solution.”

Trudeau will continue the previous Canadian government’s spending on the collection of statistics as part of the maternal and child health initiative, but he has reversed its policy on not funding abortion services abroad, reports the Star.

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