WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/GEN/1027 
22 June 2010 
 (10-3412) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
 
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO DEVELOPING COUNTRIES  
 
Communication from Canada
 
 
 
 The following communication, received on 22 June 2010, is being circulated at the request of 
Canada . 
 
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 1. Canada would like to provide an update to its submission made at the March 2010 meeting 
with regard to technical assist ance (G/SPS/GEN/1008).  Canada submits the following compilation of 
technical assistance provided to developing count ries between January 2008 and December 2008, in 
accordance with Article 9 of the Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) 
Measures  (see attached table
1).  The assistance was primarily aimed at facilitating countries 
development and implementation of sanitary a nd phytosanitary measures based on sound science.  
The attached table may not constitute a complete compilation of all relevant technical assistance 
delivered given the number of Canadian government  departments and agencies and the variety of 
delivery programs involved. 
2. The monetary value of the technical assistance committed amounted to approximately CDN 
$25 million between January and December 2008.  It should be noted that the project descriptions reflect the project as a whole and many of these projects do not have SPS technical assistance as their primary focus.  While the project is described in its entirety, the dollar amount attributed reflects only 
the amount directly associated with the SPS technical assistance portion of the project, and not the entire project amount.  It should also be noted that, in many cases, the organizations providing the 
assistance also made additional in-kind contributions to projects. 
3. Assistance was provided to more than 50 Member , Observer and other countries, in Central 
America, the Caribbean, South America, the Asia-Pacific region, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, and Africa.  Assistance was directed to both indivi dual countries and groups of  countries or regional 
organizations such as the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). 
4. Canada’s assistance addressed three of the f our broad categories listed in G/SPS/GEN/206: 
information; training; and "soft" infrastructur e development (but not "hard" infrastructure 
development).  Assistance from Canada covered mo st of the "typical areas of competence" listed 
under the headings of food safety, animal hea lth and plant protection, in the Annex of 
G/SPS/GEN/206. 
                                                     
 
1 The attached table identifies technical assistance committed to developing countries in 2008. G/SPS/GEN/1027 
Page 2  
 
  5. In all, 18 projects are listed for the period January to December 2008.  Some of the projects 
listed are multi-year projects; however, projects are only reported in the year in which the project is initiated unless unforeseen subsequent project extensions occur.  
  
   G/SPS/GEN/1027
 Page 3TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY CANADA TO MEMBERS, OBSERVERS AND OTHER COUNTRIES: 
 
JANUARY 2008-DECEMBER 2008 
  
Sector Description of Particular Programme Form of 
Assistance Provided to Contact 
Animal Health Diagnostic and epidemiology methodology technical transfer to 
governments in South America to enhance foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) preparedness and response in the region over a period of 
two years. (2008-2010) Training  Bolivia, Columbia, 
Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela Dorothy.Geale@inspection.gc.ca 
Animal Health Capacity building in animal disease emergency preparedness 
through participation of two veterinarians from the Ministry of Agriculture (SAG) of the Chilean government in CFIA`s Canadian 
Veterinary Reserve (CVR) course held at the National Centre for 
Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD) in Winnipeg. (October 2008)  Training Chile Rolf.Schoenert@inspection.gc.ca 
Animal Health Capacity building in Bovine Spongiform Encephalitis (BSE) 
diagnostics and laboratory testing at CFIA’s BSE Reference Laboratory in Lethbridge, Alberta, for three senior officials 
representing federal and provincial authorities in veterinary public 
health in the Government of Indonesia. (November 2008) Training Indonesia Rolf.Schoenert@inspection.gc.ca 
Animal Health Improving Competitiveness of the Dairy Sector. Multi-year project 
to assist 2,500 dairy farmers in two oblasts of Ukraine to improve quantity and quality of milk produced. Activities will include: 
training farmers on how to produce high quality milk and on 
business practices; establishing milk collection centres in participating communities and training their operators on modern 
laboratory testing techniques; strengthening local services to supply 
seeds, fertilizers, financing and m ilk transport. In completing the 
activities listed above, training related to sanitary issues will be 
provided to ensure compliance with  sanitary measures.  The project 
will also work with three dairy processors to improve quality 
control standards. (2008-2013)  Training Ukraine alan.s tewart@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Animal Health The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) organized a 
hemispheric workshop in Buenos Aires with the objective of 
developing a protocol to create and implement national and regional compensation schemes in Latin America and the 
Caribbean.  Results of the case studies for Trinidad & Tobago and 
for Peru were presented in a wrap-up workshop in Panama with Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) invited to speak on the 
CFIA Cost Approach Valuation Model. (May 2007)  Information Latin America and 
the Caribbean Rolf.Schoenert@inspection.gc.ca  
  G/SPS/GEN/1027 
Page 4 Sector Description of Particular Programme Form of 
Assistance Provided to Contact 
Animal Health Participation of CFIA Centre  of Expertise for Rabies in discussions 
and first draft of a ten-year plan to control human rabies in Haiti. 
(2007-2008) Capacity 
Building Haiti Christine.Fehlner-
Gardiner@inspection.gc.ca 
Plant Health 7th World Potato Congress. Funding to enable the participation of 
representatives from eligible countries at the 7th World Potato 
Congress in Christchurch, New Zealand from March 22 to 25, 2009.  The Congress is an international gathering which promotes 
positive evolution of the global potato industry and its capacity to 
meet the world’s nutritional n eeds.  The Congress addresses 
phytosanitary issues related to potato production.  Delegates 
represent all sectors of the industry and come from developed, 
developing and transitional economies. (2008-2009) Funding Nepal, Vietnam, 
India, Cuba, 
Argentina, Tunisia, Latvia, Uruguay, 
Mongolia Verna Crossman- CIDA 
Conference Fund 
conferences@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Plant Health Horticulture Development.  Multi-year contribution to strengthen 
the capacity of 5,000 smallholder fa rmers in the regions of Crimea 
and Zaporizhzhia to engage profitably, competitively, and 
sustainably in the production, processing and marketing of two to 
three high-value horticulture commodities.  In its efforts to facilitate access to markets for sma llholder farmers, the project is 
addressing phytosanitary issues. (2008-2013) Training  Ukraine alan.s tewart@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Food Safety CFIA hosted two researchers from the Korean Food Research 
Institute to provide information regarding the creation, organizational structure, and operation of the CFIA. (October 
2008)  Information Korea Rolf.Schoenert@inspection.gc.ca 
Food Safety Provided the lead trainer for an FAO-led workshop on enhancing 
effective participation in Codex held in Yaoundé, Cameroon.  The 
workshop hosted 40 participants from 7 African countries.  The workshop focussed on the organization and procedural 
requirements of Codex, establishment of national programs, and 
preparation of national positions.  Costs for providing the training were shared with FAO. (April 2008) Training Cameroon, Ghana, 
Liberia, Malawi, 
Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Zambia Allan.McCarville@hc-sc.gc.ca 
Food Safety Presented an overview of strategies and options to support 
prevention of food allergy incidents including use of enhanced 
labelling requirements for pre-packaged foods, in collaboration 
with the Food Safety Institute, Bangkok, Thailand (8-10 September 2008) Training Thailand Samuel.Godefroy@hc-sc.gc.ca 
Food Safety Participation in the Co sta Rica- HACCP Prerequisite Project.  
CFIA provided three Canadian experts to assist in the design and 
delivery of the project, the objec tives of which were to enhance 
HACCP capabilities in Costa Rica.  (May-December 2008) Training Costa Rica Rolf.S choenert@inspection.gc.ca  
   G/SPS/GEN/1027
 Page 5Sector Description of Particular Programme Form of 
Assistance Provided to Contact 
Animal Health & 
Plant Health  Food and Agriculture Sector Development. Support provided to the 
Government of Ghana’s Food and Agriculture Sector Development 
Policy (FASDEP II).  Supported activities specific to the 
development of animal and plant health policy to address SPS issues challenging the development of the sector in Ghana. (2008-
2013) Capacity 
Building  Ghana nancy.foster@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Plant Health & 
Food Safety Agricultural Sector Supply Chains. Multi-year contribution to 
improve the performance of agri cultural supply chains for shea 
nuts, shallots, onions and garlic through interventions in three critical phases: production, processing, and marketing. SPS issues 
related to each phase will be addressed. (2008-2015) Training  Mali edith.g ouin@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Animal Health, 
Plant Health & Food Safety Capacity building in Africa for enterprise level export success in 
priority sectors and markets.  SPS issues form part of the supply 
chain factors to be addressed.  In addition, Programme for Building 
Capacity for Trade will contribute to knowledge acquisition and 
training of selected small to me dium size enterprises, including 
women owned enterprises, on international standards and 
requirements for agricultural products and their exports to global 
markets. (2008-2014) Capacity 
Building/ Monitoring Pan-Africa bojan.voji novic@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Animal Health, 
Plant Health and Food Safety Multi-year contribution to support the Government of Ghana as it 
implements its second Food and Agriculture Development Policy. Objectives of the policy are: to enhance food security and 
emergency preparedness; to impr ove income growth; to increase 
competitiveness and enhance integration into domestic and 
international markets; to achieve sustainable management of land 
and environment; to apply science and technology in food and agriculture development; and to enhance institutional coordination 
within Ghana.  Project  activities will address SPS issues as part of 
policy development. (2008-2010) Capacity 
Building  Ghana nancy.foster@acdi-cida.gc.ca 
Animal Health, 
Plant Health & Food Safety Participation as the Canadian SPS Expert in Common Vision 
Sessions under the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) funded SPS in the Amer icas project with the Inter-
American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).  The 
objective of the project is to strengthen national capabilities in dealing with the administration and notification to WTO and 
member countries on SPS issues. (September – December 2008)   Capacity 
Building St. Lucia; St. Kitts & 
Nevis; Grenada; Antigua & Barbuda; 
St Vincent & the 
Grenadines; Guyana Rolf.Schoenert@inspection.gc.ca 
 
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