Trade is increasingly positioned as a priority in Canada’s international development agenda. This session looks at what that shift means in practice; how trade and development priorities intersect across policy, programming, and implementation, and how this is shaping the work of development organizations. 

Through concrete examples, panelists will explore how organizations are integrating trade into their work: supporting policy and regulatory reforms that enable market access, facilitating government-to-government and commercial collaboration, and helping businesses participate more effectively in trade opportunities. 

The discussion will examine what “mutual prosperity” looks like in operational terms: how Canadian and partner‑country interests align, how sustainability standards and inclusion principles are applied in trade‑related initiatives, and what practical models are emerging across sectors. It will also highlight what is working, what remains challenging, and what development actors need to consider as trade becomes a more prominent part of the development landscape. 

Moderator:  John Karalis (Project Director, Cowater International) 

Panelists: 

Alan Bowman (Director General, Global Affairs Canada, Southeast Asia and Oceania Bureau) 

Patricia Fuller President and CEO, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) 

Wilson Pearce (Senior Director: International Trade Strategy and Operations, Canadian Commercial Corporation) 

Steve Tipman (Executive Director, TFO Canada) 

Rising geopolitical fragmentation and shifting Canadian priorities are forcing a radical rethinking of engagement in fragile and conflict-affected settings. As traditional stability efforts falter, Canadian organizations must overhaul their strategies and operations to deliver humanitarian relief and long-term aid effectively. 

This panel confronts the realities of navigating volatile environments, analyzing how organizations adapt amid heightening global tensions and diverse crises. It evaluates the Triple Nexus – integrating humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts – to highlight where current models succeed and where systemic risks necessitate new approaches. Participants will explore how Canadian assistance can be restructured to build resilience and meaningful impact within today’s unpredictable geopolitical landscape. 

Moderator:  

Alan Quinn  (Director, International Programs and Partnerships, Humanity & Inclusion Canada) Alan Quinn is Director of International Programs and Partnerships at Humanity & Inclusion Canada. A trilingual international development specialist with 30+ years’ experience, he designs and leads humanitarian and sustainable development projects in fragile states. He has extensive experience in Central America, managing crime prevention initiatives in high-risk, gang-controlled areas. Quinn works closely with teams in Palestine and Haiti and oversees humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip and Port-au-Prince, adapting programs to deliver aid amid deepening crises and restricted access. 

Panelists: 

Nilofar Kayhan, (Lead Technical Advisor, Humanitarian and Resilience Programming, CARE Canada) 

Nilofar Kayhan is the Humanitarian and Resilience Advisor with CARE Canada, serving as a technical lead for nexus programming and advocacy. She holds an MA in international development from the University of Kent and a joint BA in political science from the University of Toronto and Sciences Po Paris. With over 10 years of experience, Kayhan has worked with the International Crisis Group in Brussels, The Border Consortium on the Thai-Myanmar border, and SIHA in the Horn of Africa. Her expertise spans conflict-sensitive programming, protection, and gender equality. 

Yiagadeesen “Teddy” Samy: Director, Norman Paterson School of International Affairs), Carleton University 

Teddy Y. Samy is Professor of International Affairs and Director of the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs (NPSIA) at Carleton University. He serves as an Expert for the African Knowledge Network, Office of the Special Advisor on Africa, United Nations Under-Secretary General. Professor Samy is the co-editor of the Handbook of Fragile States (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023) and has published widely on African economic development, domestic resource mobilization, foreign aid, fragile and conflict-affected states, deindustrialization and income inequality, small island developing states, and trade and development. Samy holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Ottawa. 

Dalia Al-Awqati (Deputy Director, Humanitarian Affairs, Oxfam Canada)  

Dalia Al-Awqati is a dedicated humanitarian worker with twenty years of experience in the non-profit sector, specializing in complex crises. Currently the Deputy Director, Humanitarian at Oxfam Canada, she oversees humanitarian action, advocacy, and funding. Previously, as Head of Humanitarian Affairs at Save the Children Canada, Al-Awqati led programs and policy engagement. Her extensive field experience includes roles with the IRC, Mercy Corps, and DRC across Bangladesh, Iraq, Sudan, and Türkiye. A native Arabic speaker, she holds a master’s degree in Human Rights from Central European University and a bachelor’s degree in Peace and Global Studies from Earlham College. 

Jon Unruh: Professor of Geography, McGill University 

Dr. Jon Unruh is Professor of Geography at McGill University, Canada, with more than 30 years of experience in the research, policy, and practice of housing, land, and property rights in war-affected settings. He has published extensively and has advised international agencies, governments, and donors on restitution and compensation programmes in conflict-affected countries. His work has included collaborations with UN agencies, NATO, the World Bank, OSCE, USAID, the U.S. State Department, and Global Affairs Canada. Unruh has undertaken research and implementation work in 27 countries, including Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, and Colombia. 

Amidst an accelerating climate crisis and shifting geopolitical priorities, Canada is pivoting toward more integrated, high-impact interventions that link climate justice with biodiversity conservation. This panel confronts how Canadian organizations are adapting to tighter funding and higher expectations as they embed gender-transformative strategies into nature-based solutions – ensuring that environmental action simultaneously dismantles systemic inequalities. 

Drawing on decades of expertise in agrobiodiversity, food security, and rural livelihoods, panelists will explore emerging models that bridge high-level climate diplomacy with community led ecosystem stewardship. The discussion evaluates how Canada can lead on the global stage by linking finance reform with intersectional feminist climate action that tackles the root causes of vulnerability. By analyzing the role of traditional knowledge and innovative monitoring tools in empowering women as environmental stewards, this session provides a vital space to reflect on the necessity of these integrated, transformative models within today’s volatile policy and operational environment. 

Moderator: 

Chris Huggins (Associate Professor, International Development and Global Studies, uOttawa) Chris Huggins is an Associate Professor in the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa. His research focuses on informal livelihoods and natural resource management in Africa. He holds a PhD from Carleton University and an MA from Strathclyde University. Currently, he is researching critical mineral extraction in Tanzania and the DRC. He recently co-authored a paper on nature-based solutions for climate adaptation in West Africa, specifically Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, and Guinea. Huggins has also explored the impacts of climate change on migration across the Asia-Pacific region. 

Panelists: 

Eddy Pérez (Founder, Pérez Strategic Partnerships) 

Eddy Pérez is a climate diplomacy expert with over a decade of experience across negotiating tables and frontline communities. He recently founded Pérez Strategic Partnerships, a consultancy building climate finance links between North American and Global South institutions. Pérez also serves as Lead Advisor for the Africa Adaptation Initiative and as a Climate Finance Expert for the International Climate Policy Hub. Previously, as Senior International Affairs Advisor to Canada’s Environment Minister, he shaped international climate strategy and finance mobilization. Fluent in Spanish, French, and English, Pérez has trained diplomats across Africa and Latin America on international negotiations. 

Laura Parisi (Associate Professor, Gender Studies, University of Victoria; former President, CASID) 

Laura Parisi is an Associate Professor of Gender Studies and Political Science at the University of Victoria. A feminist International Relations specialist, she is a former President of the Canadian Association for the Study of International Development (CASID). Parisi has extensive experience as a gender and human rights advisor for Global Affairs Canada and various NGOs. Her current research includes a GAC-funded project on women’s empowerment in Bolivian aquaculture and SSHRC-sponsored studies on the shifting development aid landscape in East Africa.  

Marco Heredia (Project Manager, Alinea International) 

Marco Heredia is a Project Manager at Alinea International, overseeing climate governance and adaptation initiatives across 34 Sub-Saharan African countries. With extensive experience, he has advanced gender-responsive climate policy in national and multilateral contexts. Notably, Heredia developed gender-inclusive environmental management guidelines in El Salvador and supported women’s participation in UNFCCC negotiations in the Maldives. Previously at UNEP, he managed gender-sensitive monitoring for projects across 10 Latin American and Caribbean countries. Heredia also contributed to Mexico’s Special Climate Change Program and participated in COP25 negotiations to enhance the UNFCCC Gender Action Plan. 

Olivia Nasewicz (Program Manager, Environmental Advisor, WUSC) 

Olivia Nasewicz is Program Manager and Environment Advisor at the World University Service of Canada (WUSC), leading initiatives at the intersection of environmental sustainability and social equity. With a background in Sustainable Development Engineering and Corporate Social Responsibility, she brings field experience from West Africa, Madagascar, and India. Nasewicz champions holistic, gender-transformative approaches to climate action and biodiversity conservation, emphasizing the private sector’s role in development. Her expertise lies in engaging diverse stakeholders to build resilient, inclusive solutions for a rapidly changing world. 

Traditional development finance is evolving. With grant funding increasingly stretched, new tools like blended finance, catalytic capital, and outcome-based mechanisms are being used to attract private investment and deliver greater impact. This session explores how these models are reshaping development practice and what they mean for organizations operating in this changing environment. 

Panelists will share perspectives from policy, market-building, and implementation; examining how blended structures are designed, what role public finance plays in mobilizing private capital, and how results are evaluated by both investors and donors. The conversation will also consider how donor governments are integrating innovative finance into their programming, how nongovernmental organizations are adapting to these approaches, and what it takes to make partnerships between grants and capital actually work in practice. 

Moderator:  Lindsay Wallace (Executive Director, FINCA Canada & Chair of the Board, CAFIID) 

Panelists 

Krishna Malhotra (Associate Director Blended Finance Accelerator, Convergence Blended Finance) 

Cam Do (Director General, Development Finance, Global Affairs Canada) 

Pranay Samson (Director, Innovative Finance, Plan International) 

Nadia Guerch (Head of Programs, Cowater International) 

Partnerships are central to how international development programs are designed and delivered. As Canadian development priorities, financing approaches, and delivery expectations continue to shift, organizations are rethinking how partnerships are structured, managed, and sustained, and what different configurations are intended to achieve. 

This session draws on recent research and direct program experience to examine how partnership models are evolving in practice. Panelists will explore how organizations are working with a range of actors, including local partners, academic and research institutions, private sector actors, and civil society, and how these relationships are structured to support delivery. 

The discussion will focus on how different partnership approaches are designed and implemented, where they add value, and what they require in terms of roles, coordination, and accountability in a development environment facing growing complexity and resource pressures. 

Moderator:  Tanya Salewski (Vice-President Program Delivery, ALINEA) 

Panelists 

• Michael Wodzicki (Co-founder and Partner, Nexus Cooperation) 

• Abbas Sumar (Principal, Summar + Associates Ltd) 

• Yvette Macabuag (Head of Program Quality and Impact, CUSO)

Interest in digital tools and artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the development sector, from the automation of administrative processes to the transformation of the professional labor market. This panel explores the dual impact of AI: how it is redefining the skills and roles required of development practitioners and how it is being deployed to enhance service delivery, monitoring, and adaptive management. The discussion moves beyond technical utility to confront critical issues of equity, examining the potential for AI to bridge – or widen – divides between genders and between the developed and developing world. 

By analyzing the intersection of data governance, AI ethics, and emerging regulatory frameworks, the panel highlights where digital tools contribute to impactful programming and where they encounter significant limitations or risks. Participants will reflect on how these technological shifts interact with diverse delivery models and contextual realities, providing a vital space to evaluate the relevance of AI within today’s complex policy and funding environment. 

Moderator:  

Bart Édes ((Professor of Practice at McGill University, Institute for the Study of International Development, McGill University)  

Bart Édes is a Professor of Practice at McGill University’s Institute for the Study of International Development and an analyst and author. A Distinguished Fellow at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, he advises international organizations on partnerships, strategy, communications, and strategic foresight. During two decades at the Asian Development Bank, he directed teams focused on governance, knowledge management, and social sectors. Previously, he managed an EU-OECD program supporting public administration reform in Central and Eastern Europe. Édes holds a BA in government from Georgetown University and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Michigan. 

Panel Composition: 

Dr. Thomas Hervé Mboa Nkoudou (Assistant Professor, Department of Communication, uOttawa)  

Dr. Thomas Mboa is an Assistant Professor at the University of Ottawa whose work examines how AI and digital infrastructures shape Global North-South power relations. He leads a research program on scaling responsible AI innovation, including a MITACS project transferring AI solutions from Canada to Africa. A member of the OpenAIR network, he is a co-investigator in the “Canada-Africa Partnership on Intellectual Property for Climate Action.” Across his academic and advisory roles, he explores how AI can support just, gender-aware, and locally rooted development.  

Dr. Mandana Arabi (Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Technical Advisor, Nutrition International)  

Dr. Mandani Arabi is Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Technical Advisor at Nutrition International, where she oversees technical programming across 10 countries. A medical doctor with a PhD from Cornell University, Arabi has extensive experience designing and evaluating public health interventions for vulnerable populations. Previously, Arabi served as a nutrition advisor for UNICEF and the Founding Executive Director of the Nutrition Institute at the New York Academy of Sciences. A distinguished authority, she has co-authored global guidance for the WHO and UNICEF, focusing on infant feeding and integrating nutrition with early childhood development. Arabi leads global teams to address evidence gaps.  

Maggie Gorman Vélez (Vice President, IDRC)  

Maggie Gorman Vélez is Vice-President, Strategy, Regions and Policy at IDRC. Beginning her career there as a Professional Development Awardee, she has held progressively senior roles for over 20 years, including Chief of Staff and Director of Policy and Evaluation. As a member of the executive team, she plays a key role in implementing Strategy 2030, overseeing corporate risk, and positioning IDRC within global research and funding networks. Maggie holds an MA in International Affairs and a BA (Hons) in Economics.  

As traditional funding comes under pressure, development organizations are increasingly looking to a broader set of actors, including foundations, family philanthropies, diaspora networks, and innovation platforms, to help sustain their work. This panel examines how these funding sources operate in practice, where they are most active, and what development organizations need to understand to engage them effectively. Philanthropic and alternative funders can offer flexibility and catalytic support, but they also come with distinct expectations, timelines, and ways of working.  

The discussion will focus on what this means in practical terms: how these sources can complement public funding, what capacities and partnerships they require, and what realistic diversification looks like for organizations managing multiple funding streams.