Canada Planning Cuts to Afghan Aid: U.S. Memo

When a five-year, $1.9-billion commitment of foreign aid to Afghanistan runs out this year, Canada could focus aid efforts on Haiti.

An American diplomatic memo released by (who else but) WikiLeaks shows that the U.S. is expecting Canada to cut back its foreign aid to Afghanistan. The February 2010 memo notes that, following this summer's shift in the Canadian Forces' mission from combat to training, the government will likely reduce its assistance to the central Asian country to help reduce the deficit. Afghanistan is currently the top recipient of Canadian aid, followed by Haiti. The cable suggested that Canadian aid efforts would make Haiti a priority in the near future due to the aftermath of last year's earthquake, its proximity to Canada, and the two nations' cultural and historic ties.