Supporting economic empowerment through capacity building
The Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) project provides technical assistance to help developing countries undertake trade and investment agreements with Canada that contribute to more inclusive and sustainable development. EDM provides targeted technical assistance to assist developing countries to negotiate, implement, adapt to, and benefit from their trade and investment agreements with Canada.
EDM builds capacity across the following areas:
- Providing independent technical advice to governments in exploratory talks or negotiating trade and investment agreements to ensure agreements generate sustainable and equitable business development opportunities for all parties.
- Enhancing the capacity of private sector and civil society, particularly women business owners and interest groups, to participate in inclusive trade and investment agreement dialogues.
- Supporting the formulation and implementation of a trade and investment agenda that empowers under-represented groups, promotes the implementation of inclusive policies and strategies, and improves poverty reduction outcomes.
- Strengthening business development services and promoting policies and programs that support entrepreneurship and foster investment and job creation.
- Creating new and more participatory opportunities for women and other under-represented groups to take advantage of trade and investment agreements with Canada.
- Creating more and better job opportunities through technical support to small and medium-sized enterprises.
Technical Assistance
Technical assistance can include, but is not limited to, advisory support, trainings, study tours, policy research, stakeholder engagement and institutional development.
Governments, private sector groups, and civil society organizations are eligible to submit requests for technical assistance on inclusive trade and investment technical assistance activities that aim to benefit women, small and medium-sized enterprises and under-represented groups, and promote environmental sustainability.
EDM is aligned with the Government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. EDM is implemented on behalf of Global Affairs Canada by Cowater International in consortium with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada.
