Canada-Peru Bilateral Relations
Canada and Peru have warm and growing bilateral relations marked by a commitment to democracy, multilateral cooperation, responsible resource management, trade and investment, and cooperation in development, education, defence and security. Peru and Canada work closely in the Organization of American States, the Summit of the Americas, and within the Lima Group of countries in the Americas seeking to restore democratic governance and respect for human rights in Venezuela. Canada and Peru also cooperate in economic integration initiatives such as the Pacific Alliance , where Canada is an observer and negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to become an Associated State, and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation. Canada and Peru, along with nine other countries, are also members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which was signed in May 2018.
Peru is Canada’s third-largest bilateral trading partner in South and Central America and the third-largest destination for Canadian direct investment in the region. The 2009 Canada-Peru FTA is the cornerstone of our bilateral trade relationship. Canadian merchandise exports to Peru reached nearly $710 million in 2017, while Canadian merchandise imports from Peru reached $1.8 billion. Canadian foreign direct investment in Peru totaled $11.1 billion in 2017, mainly in mining, oil and gas and financial services. Canada also promotes educational and scholarship opportunities in tandem with Peruvian institutions such as Pronabec and Concytec, as well as with Canadian partners through the Emerging Leaders in the Americas Program (ELAP), the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships, and the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowships.
Canada’s bilateral development program aims to reduce poverty and inequality for a more democratic and inclusive Peru. In 2017, Canada had over $253million in operational bilateral development assistance in Peru. The program currently focuses on education for marginalized groups, particularly Indigenous youth and girls; supporting small agribusinesses, especially for young people; establishing environmental assessment processes; and supporting good governance. Moving forward, the program will implement the Government of Canada’s new Feminist International Assistance Policy by working with key Peruvian organizations and ministries to advance women’s and girls’ empowerment; to reduce gender-based violence and early pregnancies; and to support women’s leadership in climate change mitigation and adaptation. The program will support democratic governance by modernizing and making the civil service more responsive to marginalized communities and strengthening local women’s rights organizations through the Women’s Voice and Leadership initiative. The Partnership for Development Innovation Branch programming in Peru represents slightly more than $9million a year. These funds support Canadian civil society organizations working in the areas of: economic growth for poor communities; democratic participation; health; education; and food security. The Global Issues and Development branch has a modest presence in Peru; however, in 2016, it provided $1million for emergency assistance following devastating floods.
May 2018
Source - Canadian Embassy to Peru - http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/peru-perou/bilateral_relations_bilaterales/canada_peru-perou.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=303
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