1. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the 3^rd Policy Consultation on Development Cooperation between the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Canada in Seoul on December 3, 2019. Ms. Hyunjoo Oh, Director-General for Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Mr. Andrew Smith, Director General for International Assistance Policy at Global Affairs Canada led their respective delegations.

2. As the two countries are middle-power donors in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC), the two sides extensively discussed matters of common interest and ways for cooperation in the area of international development cooperation such as the reforms of the UN development system and OECD DAC, the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and financing for development.

3. As the Canadian government has strived to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls under its Feminist International Assistance Policy adopted in June 2017 and the ROK government has put more emphasis on the role of women for peace since the launch of the “Action with Women and Peace” Initiative in 2018, the two sides agreed that the two countries could enhance bilateral cooperation in such areas.

4. Following previous policy consultations in the area of development cooperation with the United States, the European Union and Australia this year, the consultation is seen to have broadened the bases of cooperation with other donors in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the international community.