International Development Research Centre

The meeting covered the presentation of the organization's five-year strategic plan (effective until 2020) and progress updates. Discussions highlighted active collaboration with the Minister of International Development regarding the Canadian policy of international aid review, and the ongoing negotiation of the first collective agreement following employee unionization. Key thematic areas emphasized included women's rights, climate change, and refugees. Specific initiatives mentioned involved supporting research on economic empowerment for women in low-income countries, evidenced by the 'Prospera Digital' solution in Mexico, and efforts to improve education accessibility for Syrian refugees in Lebanon and Jordan. Climate change work detailed investments in research projects concerning coastal erosion in Ghana using drone technology. The importance of monitoring and measuring progress against strategic objectives was also addressed, including the delivery of the first annual performance report.

The meeting was the fifth annual public meeting for the Canadian Crown Corporation, dedicated to discussing the organization's work in supporting research for international development. Key discussion points included the IDRC's Grants Plus business model, which emphasizes engagement with grantees as a research partner and advisor. The session highlighted the organization's goal to support results-oriented research that improves public policies and people's lives in developing countries, focusing on areas like maternal and child health, and food safety. Specific examples shared involved research addressing youth unemployment in Africa and a detailed account of a research project in the Brazilian Amazon concerning mercury poisoning from artisanal gold mining. The discussion also covered the organization's financial stewardship, noting that a portion of the budget is leveraged to attract further donor support, and emphasized the importance of building self-reliance and local problem-solving capabilities in the developing world.

The annual public meeting focused on the theme of research for global challenges, emphasizing the need for new evidence and innovative solutions to address pressing global issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change, and migration crises. Key discussions covered IDRC's alignment with global priorities, collaboration strategies, and leveraging existing successful research for scaling impact. Specific examples highlighted included an innovative project in East Africa testing insects as feed for fish and poultry under the Cultivating Africa's Future Fund (TAF) initiative, and the long-term impact of IDRC-funded research on micronutrient fortification of salt in India. The meeting also addressed the importance of scaling up successes, building capacity for women and youth researchers (particularly in STEM fields for indigenous populations in Mexico), and finding efficient ways to translate research findings into actionable policy and practice, exemplified by education tool development in Latin America.

The meeting, occurring the week of Remembrance Day, focused on the organization's mission to create and disseminate knowledge to benefit humanity, emphasizing helping others create knowledge for themselves. Key discussion points included IDRC's support for researchers globally to improve health, increase prosperity, enhance food security, and promote democracy. The organization's collaboration with the government on the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund, totaling $62 million and subsequently expanded by another $62 million, was detailed, involving research teams from Canadian universities collaborating with developing country counterparts on food production and nutrition. Administrative changes were discussed, including consolidating physical presence in Asia (closing the Singapore office and transferring responsibilities to New Delhi) and Africa (closing the West Africa office in Senegal while making the Nairobi office fully bilingual for Sub-Saharan Africa). The board size was reduced from 18 to 14 governors, maintaining a strong mix of international and Canadian leaders. Several personnel were recognized for their contributions, including the Chair of the Board of Governors and the President.

The workshop focused on partnerships, resource mobilization, and civil registration. Discussions included domestic resource financing, external funding from partners like UNECA and the United Nations, and the importance of civil registration as a public good financed by public funds. The need to account for every person in the population to attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was emphasized, along with promoting national population registers. The progress of civil registration in Botswana was highlighted, including the decentralization of services, political support, and government funding, as well as challenges in marriage registration and system development. Cameroon shared its reforms since 2010, including legal improvements, awareness building, and infrastructure development, along with establishing a central body for civil registration.