On the eve of the G20 summit here in Seoul, Korea, the Washington-based Center for Global Development has released it latest “Commitment To Development” Index, a ranking of G20 countries its says shows how rich countries are living up to their potential to help developing and poor countries.
Canada ranks 9th overall, ahead of the U.S., the UK and all other G8 nations. It has a ranking of 5.5 on the index, an improvement of 0.6 compared to 2003. Sweden is tops with a ranking of 7.0 and South Korea is at the bottom with a ranking of 3.1.
Nonetheless, the CGD reports that there is room for Canada to improve: :
Canada ranks 9th overall in 2010. Canada’s main contributions to the development of poor countries come through its strong support of technological innovation and dissemination, its low barriers against developing country exports, and its policies that promote productive investment in poor countries. Canada also bears a large burden of refugees in humanitarian emergencies. But the Canadian government's positive impact is reduced by its aid to less poor and relatively less democratic governments, its relatively small contributions to international peacekeeping efforts, and its poor environmental record from the standpoint of developing countries.