Stories

ITC and CIDA discuss future cooperation

29 January 2013
ITC News
Paul R. Samson of Canadian International Development Agency says ITC is ‘prominent partner for Canada’.

Mr Paul R. Samson, Director-General for Multilateral Development Institutions at the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), on 29 January visited the International Trade Centre (ITC) where he was met by member of ITC’s senior management led by Executive Director Ms Patricia Francis. Also present was Jean-Marie Paugam, ITC’s Deputy Executive Director, and Friedrich von Kirchbach, Director of ITC’s Division of Country Programmes.

Ms Francis thanked Mr Samson for the support CIDA has given ITC over the years. Canadian commitment to ITC, she said, had encouraged other partners to follow. ‘Canada’s vote of confidence in the International Trade Centre, is important for ITC, but also for others,’ Ms Francis said.

CIDA has been ITC’s largest single donor for many years and the support is set to continue. Mr Samson said: ‘ITC may be a small agency compared to other international organizations, but is a prominent partner for Canada and the cooperation has worked at every level.’

‘We want to strengthen our partnership with ITC further,’ Mr Samson said.

Samson has been with CIDA 2004, and was previously Director General of Strategic Policy in the Strategic Policy and Performance Branch, and Director of the Environment Division.

He has also served as a Director of Operations with the Economic and Regional Development Policy Secretariat at the Privy Council Office and also held other positions at Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada. Earlier in his career, he worked for Mikhail Gorbachev at Green Cross International and with several United Nations organizations in Geneva.

ITC and CIDA will continue in the coming months to explore further options for how and where they extend cooperation.