Addis Ababa - 26 January 2016: the Head of the Diaspora Division and Acting Director of CIDO, Mr. Ahmed ElBasheer headed a CIDO team that held discussions with the Deputy Director of the Pan-Africa Affairs Division of Global Affairs Canada, Ms. Sarah Filotas, at the AU Commission.

The Deputy Director’s visit was aimed at enhancing the understanding of Global Affairs Canada with regard to the African Union’s Diaspora Initiative in order to inform the government of Canada’s approach to the engagement of the African diaspora in Canada. 
The CIDO team emphasized the vast potential of the African Diaspora in Canada to support ongoing socio-economic development of the continent through effective engagement with the government of Canada and other key policy stakeholders.
The team further briefed the Deputy Director on CIDO’s diaspora engagement agenda in Canada, including an ongoing process to establish a Canadian Pan-African Network in Canada; as well as preparations made towards the launch of a diaspora volunteering pilot project being jointly developed by CIDO and Cuso International, a major Canadian development organization based in Ottawa.
The Deputy Director welcomed CIDO’s active engagement of the African Diaspora in Canada and indicated the interest of Global Affairs Canada to hold further discussions with CIDO and its Canadian partners to explore possibilities for cooperation; emphasizing a renewed commitment on the part of the new Canadian government to expand and deepen its scope of engagement with diaspora communities in Canada.
The meeting concluded with a commitment by the two parties to exchange information and to arrange follow-up discussions with the new Director-General of the Pan-Africa Division of Global Affairs Canada.
The CIDO team also included Mr. Kyeretwie Osei, Policy Officer for the Americas and the Caribbean and Ms. Eiman Kheir, Policy Officer for the Middle East, Asia and Pacific Region.
Ms. Filotas was accompanied by Ms. Julie Crowley, First Secretary at the Canadian Embassy to Ethiopia.