Reimagining Canada’s Role in International Cooperation: Reflections from the 2025 Leaders’ Forum

On October 29–30, 2025, leaders from across Canada’s international cooperation and humanitarian sector came together in Ottawa for Cooperation Canada’s Leaders’ Forum. Over two days of frank and forward-looking discussion, participants took stock of a rapidly shifting global context, asked hard questions about collaboration, partnership and impact and explored how to work differently—together.

Eight partners and 127 leaders came together to push Canada’s international cooperation agenda ahead at the 2025 Cooperation Canada’s Leaders’ Forum!

It’s impossible to do justice, in a single post, to all the rich discussions and ideas that emerged over the two days. This piece offers a high-level overview of some of the cross-cutting themes and signals we heard in the room.

International Cooperation at a Crossroads

Participants described a cooperation system under strain: ongoing conflicts, climate shocks, shrinking civic space and fiscal pressure at home are all testing the legitimacy and effectiveness of our work. There was concern that if civil society is seen as slow, fragmented, or risk-averse, “militarized” or purely private models may step into the gap.

Across the discussions, leaders stressed the need to focus on tangible impact for communities, not just organizational mechanics. That means telling clearer and evidence-based stories about what works— including transitions, hard choices and lessons learned—while resisting a purely compliance-driven posture that undermines purpose.

Rethinking Narrative, Engagement and Visibility

A second major theme was how to rebuild public understanding and support for international cooperation in a polarized environment. Participants spoke about shifting from a charity lens to one of mutual interest and shared security: doing our fair share as a “good global neighbour” and showing how global issues like conflict, climate and pandemics shape life in Canada.

There was strong support for plain-language communication grounded in concrete problems (jobs, health, education) and for narratives that balance moral clarity with credible hope. Many also noted that distribution is consistently under-resourced: organizations invest in crafting messages but struggle to reach beyond their own audiences. Ideas included pooling resources for paid media and analytics, collaborating with creators, diaspora and regional media, and exploring ways to make the impact of Canadian aid and cooperation more visible over time.

Transforming INGOs, Partnerships and Financing

The Forum also surfaced tough questions about the future of Northern-based INGOs and the systems around them. Participants acknowledged that transformation is already underway—sometimes by design, sometimes forced by context. Boards and senior leaders were seen as key to stewarding change, from governance reform and new partnership models to decisions to shrink, merge or relaunch where needed.

Localization and equitable partnerships ran through these conversations. Practical enablers discussed included overhead parity, shared risk, clearer decision rights for partners and paying attention to whose stories are told and how. Participants also reflected on financing models: ODA alone is insufficient, but new instruments (development finance, blended finance, philanthropic co-investment) bring trade-offs. There was interest in more structured engagement with Global Affairs Canada, FinDev and others, alongside better analysis and learning on how to safeguard civic space and partner safety as funding models evolve.

Safety, Care and the Leaders’ Pledge on PSEAH

A highlight of the Forum was the launch of the renewed Leaders’ Pledge on Preventing Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (PSEAH). The launch was both a celebration of work already underway across the sector and a clear reminder that there is more to do. Many organizations have already signed the renewed pledge and organizations across the sector are invited to review the renewed pledge, reflect on their own PSEAH journeys and consider signing on.

Defending and Reimagining Civic Space

Participants identified shrinking civic space as one of the defining challenges for international cooperation—both globally and in Canada. The issue connects directly to the sector’s ability to advocate, to communicate effectively and to protect partners and communities.

Discussions highlighted the need to link domestic and international debates on civic space, address barriers such as visa regimes and disinformation and strengthen security and care for staff and partners working in high-risk contexts.

The inaugural Ottawa Civic Space Summit (April 21–23, 2026) will be a key moment to deepen this work. The Summit will bring together civil society leaders, governments, donors and activists from around the world to defend, reclaim and reimagine civic space—building on the energy and ideas shared at the Leaders’ Forum.

Emerging Leaders and What Comes Next

Emerging Leaders made significant contributions to the Forum. A cohort of 33 early‑career professionals and practitioners brought bold ideas and fresh energy, calling for authentic inclusion in decision‑making spaces, accessible mentorship and skills pathways, and language and practices that reflect Indigenous allyship and youth priorities.

Day Two gave the Emerging Leaders Network space to shape the agenda directly. They grounded the morning conversation in inclusive leadership, convened a panel on the future of the sector and led discussions on locally‑led development. Their interventions highlighted equity, mentorship and systemic change, while offering tangible proposals to embed early‑career perspectives into the structures and strategies of international cooperation.

Concrete actions included launching a mentorship program in 2026, establishing seats for Emerging Leaders on key working groups and providing bursaries to reduce financial barriers to participation.

Looking ahead

As we conclude this year’s Leaders Forum, we extend our heartfelt thanks to all participants whose insights and leadership shaped such rich and forward-thinking discussions. We are deeply grateful to our partners and sponsors for their steadfast support, and to our Emerging Leaders cohort for bringing bold ideas and fresh energy to the sector’s future. Cooperation Canada will continue to work with members and partners to test which ideas are most strategic, realistic and aligned with our mandate—and to identify where collective action can add the greatest value. Your engagement continues to strengthen our community and push our shared mission forward.

Stay tuned for upcoming resources and next steps from the Forum!