Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development

Comité permanent des affaires étrangères et du développement international

For immediate release

Ottawa, May 29, 2019 -

The Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development presented a unanimous report to the House of Commons entitled Peacebuilding and Development in Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Recommendations for Canadian Action.

The report is the result of the Committee’s study of the situations in Somalia, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), three of the most fragile countries in the world. The Committee examined a wide range of issues common to the three countries, including armed conflict, population displacement, under-development, and human rights and governance challenges.

The report sets out the Committee’s main findings and makes 16 recommendations on ways that the Government of Canada can support Somalia, South Sudan and the DRC from the perspectives of peacebuilding and development.

Among other areas, the Committee recommends that the Government of Canada prioritize direct support to local organizations involved in the delivery of humanitarian assistance in Somalia, South Sudan and the DRC. The Committee also recommends that the Government of Canada invest in projects aimed at ensuring the meaningful involvement of women in peace processes and peacebuilding initiatives.

Notwithstanding the significant challenges that they face, the Committee found reasons to be optimistic about the situations in the three countries. Recent elections in Somalia and the DRC, while flawed, were among the most extensive electoral processes that both countries have seen in decades. Meanwhile, in South Sudan, the implementation of the revitalized peace agreement, which was signed in September 2018, has begun, however fragile it might be.

The Committee believes that Canada should assist the people of Somalia, South Sudan and the DRC to build on this momentum with a view to breaking the cycles of fragility and ensuring a sustainable peace.

The full text of the Committee’s report is available on its website.