Supporting economic empowerment through capacity building
The Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM) is a project designed to maximize the positive development impacts of the trade and investment agreements that developing countries have with Canada. EDM is designed to contribute to poverty reduction by deploying Canadian and international technical experts to assist developing countries negotiate, implement, adapt to and benefit from their trade and investment agreements with Canada.
EDM is funded by the Government of Canada and implemented on behalf of Global Affairs Canada by Cowater International in association with the Institute of Public Administration of Canada. EDM is aligned with the Government of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy and Canada’s inclusive approach to trade.
EDM builds capacity across the following areas:
- Providing independent technical advice to governments or regional organizations in exploratory talks or negotiating trade and investment agreements to ensure that agreements reflect an inclusive approach to trade.
- Enhancing the capacity of private sector and civil society organizations to promote the integration of inclusion and sustainability considerations into trade and investment agreement dialogues.
- Supporting the formulation and implementation of legislation, policies, regulations and tools that improve the enabling environment for sustainable and inclusive trade and investment.
- Strengthening public sector capacity to expand access to export-oriented opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly those led by women, indigenous peoples, or other under-represented groups.
- Assisting SMEs, through trade support organizations, to adapt to and benefit from trade and investment agreements.
- Improving the capabilities of civil society organizations focused on women, labour standards, environmental sustainability, or Indigenous peoples to help their stakeholders benefit from trade and investment agreements.
Technical Assistance
Technical assistance can include but is not limited to advisory support, training, course development, study tours, policy research, stakeholder engagement (workshop and consultation), and institutional assessments. Government entities, private sector groups (e.g. trade or industry associations), or civil society organizations based in countries that are eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) and that have a trade and investment relationship with Canada may be eligible to apply.