Canada-the Marshall Islands relations
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Bilateral relations
Diplomatic relations were established on August 14, 1997. Bilateral relations between Canada and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) are cordial and enhanced by a shared membership in international organisations such as the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization. Canada and RMI share interests with respect to fisheries are both party to the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement. Canada is also a Dialogue Partner of the Pacific Islands Forum to which the Republic of the Marshall Islands belongs.
In the Marshall Islands, Canada is represented by the High Commission of Canada to Australia, in Canberra. The Marshall Islands is represented in Canada by an ambassador located in Washington, D.C., U.S.A. About 10 people who live in Canada are born in Marshall Islands according to the 2021 Canadian census.
Trade relations
Canada's trade relations with Marshall Islands are managed by the Trade Commissioner Service at the High Commission of Canada to Australia, in Canberra. Canada has limited trade relations with Marshall Islands.
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Development
Canada supports small and community-focused projects in the Marshall Islands through the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFLI). Canada has contributed over $585,000 million to organizations implementing CFLI in the Marshall Islands since 2017. In 2022, the CFLI funded a $50,000 project with the Women United Together Marshall Islands (WUTMI).
Marshall Islands has also been a beneficiary of the following projects in the Pacific islands region:
The Kiwa Initiative (2020 to 2026) is a $79 million multi-donor Pan-Pacific regional initiative funded by Canada, France, the European Union, Australia and New Zealand. Since March 2020, Canada has contributed a total of $16 million to the Kiwa initiative through a Contribution Arrangement with the Agence française de développement (AFD). The Kiwa initiative strengthens capacities of local and national authorities and civil society organizations to design and implement small to large-scale biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation projects at local, national and regional levels through granting/funding facilities.
The Pacific Catastrophe Risk Assessment and Financing Initiative (PCRAFI) (2018 to 2023) is a project implemented by the World Bank, and to which Canada contributed $1.5 million. The PCRAFI seeks to provide the Pacific island countries with disaster risk assessment and financing tools, including sovereign insurance, for enhanced disaster risk management and climate change adaptation.
Between 2015 and 2025, Canada is contributing $20M to the Asia Pacific Project Preparation Facility (AP3F) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB). AP3F is a multi-donor trust fund that provides additional financial resources and technical support for the preparation of infrastructure projects in developing member countries in order to increase infrastructure development and enhance the quality of infrastructure in Asia and the Pacific.
The Small Islands Food and Water Project (SIFWaP) (2019 to 2025) is a $12 million project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). It is funded by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Programme (GAFSP) to which Canada has contributed $255 million since 2009. It aims to increase food, nutrition, and water security in local communities and enhance livelihood opportunities.
The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network is a multi-donor global initiative that advances national climate adaptation processes in developing countries through technical assistance, peer learning and knowledge development. Canada’s $4 million contribution to the initiative since 2017 assists with projects to support developing countries to advance their NAP processes to help accelerate climate change adaptation efforts.
The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission’s (WCPFC) Special Requirements Fund has received contributions of $68,000 to $100,000 from Canada in recent years. It aims to support capacity-building among the members of the Commission such as the Marshall Islands.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and the Marshall Islands work closely in multilateral fora, such as:
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Health Organization (WHO)
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