Expert Deployment Mechanism for Trade and Development (EDM)

Connecting Those In the Know with Those In Need

EDM aims to contribute to inclusive economic growth through trade and investment in developing countries that have trade and investment relationships with Canada. This includes providing technical assistance to negotiate, implement, adapt to, and benefit from trade and investment agreements with Canada.

EDM can provide technical assistance to governments, private sector groups, or civil society organizations that are eligible for Official Development Assistance and are exploring, negotiating or implementing trade and investment agreements with Canada.

Please refer to the following links for criteria and more information:

EDM technical assistance can include, but is not limited to, advisory support, training, course development, study tour, policy research, stakeholder engagement (workshop and consultation), and institutional assessment.

EDM does not provide project grants or direct financial support to organizations. EDM does not finance the purchasing of goods, capital equipment, construction costs or other non-service-related technical assistance.

Support for negotiating trade and investment agreements with Canada – expertise can be provided to strengthen negotiating skills, collect trade data, conduct econometric analysis and modelling, deepen understanding of specific negotiating issues, identify domestic negotiating interests, construct negotiating positions, and facilitate stakeholder engagement. Technical assistance can be provided in advance of negotiations (e.g. during exploratory discussions) or throughout the process of ongoing negotiations.
Support for implementing trade and investment agreements with Canada – technical assistance can support the drafting of legislation, regulations and policies to meet the agreed obligations, while advancing the national development goals of Canada’s negotiating partners. Expert advice can support the design of government programs to advance the broad objectives of trade and investment agreements, including the promotion of gender equality and social inclusion, environmental protection, labour standards and other dimensions of Canada’s “inclusive trade” approach.
Helping trading partners benefit from and adapt to trade and investment agreements with Canada – EDM support is focused on institution building – strengthening the capacity of trade support organizations (government ministries and agencies, industry associations, civil society organizations and academic institutions) to deliver effective programs and services to their client companies. Expert counsel can be offered in the form of professional development for TSO personnel, business training programs, business guides, client relationship management systems, etc.

Through a competitive process, individuals or firms with relevant professional experience are contracted to respond to the delivery of TA Activities that have been identified in a TA Request submitted to the EDM.

Interested applicants and service providers can contact the EDM team through our Contact Page.
In providing this assistance, particularly during negotiations, Cowater will take steps in the recruitment and contracting of technical experts to ensure that there is no conflict of interest for any technical expert working on the EDM. All contracts for technical experts will include non-disclosure agreements stipulating that any information provided by a foreign government or by a local non-government entity of a technical, scientific or commercial nature be treated as confidential. This includes any details related to the foreign government’s trade and/or investment negotiations with Canada and the technical assistance under the EDM, whether this information is disclosed to the sub-consultant or contractor in oral, written, recorded or any other form.