Mr David M. Malone, President of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is in Ghana on an official visit to Ghana and Nigeria.

The visit would grant the IDRC President an opportunity to reaffirm Canada's commitment towards development in West and Central Africa.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, Mr. Malone would meet with government officials in both countries as well as IDRC research recipients in the fields of health, agriculture, economics, and education.

In Ghana, Mr. Malone would visit the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre and the African Institute for Mathematical Science (AIMS), an initiative supported by a host of international donors including Canada.

IDRC manages the Canadian government’s CA$20 million investment that would establish five AIMS centres in Africa by 2015, including AIMS-Ghana, set to open later this year.

At Cape Coast University, the IDRC President would give a public lecture entitled “How Might We Think of Development” which would be followed by media interviews.

Mr. Malone would take part in discussions on the development impacts of agricultural research at an event organized by the Canadian High Commissioner.

IDRC formed part of Canada’s aid program since 1970, which supports research in developing countries to promote growth and development.

IDRC also encourages sharing this knowledge with policymakers, other researchers, and communities around the world.

IDRC has been present in West and Central Africa since 1972 and covers 23 countries.

Presently it is funding and providing technical support to more than 100 institutions which are research institutions, universities, think tanks, civil society organizations among others.

The IDRC is organized into four (4) main internal divisions including Agriculture and Environment, Global Health Policy, Science and Innovation and Social and Economic Policy.

IDRC also searches for ways to expand access to health care, enhance health information systems and control chronic diseases as well as fostering just, inclusive and sustainable development by improving knowledge about science, technology and innovation in developing nations.

The IDRC addresses policy issues such as inclusive economic growth, accountable governance and public security and supports independent policy research institutions.

IDRC’s approach is to offer researchers and innovators based in developing nations the financial resources, advice and training that would help them find solutions to the local problems they identify.

IDRC disburses money to create knowledge and achieve change, thus complementing the efforts of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and of Canada’s research granting councils.

It is also a key member of Canada’s foreign policy community and the world’s most prominent government and private donor agencies which have consistently sought to collaborate with the IDRC.**