On 6 September, SRSG Parfait Onanga-Anyanga met with Ambassador Ben Marc Diendéré, Permanent Observer of Canada to the African Union. During their meeting, Ambassador Diendéré briefed on Canada’s ongoing multistakeholder consultations regarding its upcoming 10-year economic cooperation strategy for Africa, set to launch in 2025. The strategy aims to establish sustainable, inclusive, and long-term trade and economic partnerships between Canada and Africa.

The Ambassador outlined four key focus areas for the strategy: food security, energy transitions, education and vocational training, and global health, including veterinary aspects. These sectors will be supported by interventions in digital transformation, which is seen as a critical enabler of growth. Ambassador Diendéré also mentioned the High-Level Dialogue with the African Union planned for November 2024, which will centre on trade and private sector development. This dialogue will be followed by the G7 Leaders' Summit in June 2025, where the focus will expand to include creative industries and reforms to international security and financial institutions.

It was noted during the meeting that the timeline for Canada’s strategy aligns with the African Union's second 10-year implementation plan for Agenda 2063. The pillars of Canada’s approach also closely reflect Africa’s priorities as outlined in this plan. In addition, discussions touched on the upcoming Summit for the Future, and ongoing efforts to reform both the UN Security Council (UNSC) and international financial institutions.