The story of the Country Partnerships Program (CPP) goes back to the early days of the CCGHR (2003). This initiative was created as a means to support strengthening national health systems and environments, and as a harmonization tool in collaborating with countries of the Global South. Over the years, several “country-Canada” partnerships invested in long-term sustainable relationships that are responding to changing circumstances and evolving opportunities, drawing upon the global health research principles of authentic partnership, ethical engagement and commitment to the future.
Across different partnerships, colleagues report important benefits of the CPP, such as:
- Facilitating local and global networking opportunities;
- Harmonizing Canadian research efforts in a given country or jurisdictions;
- Linking within-country institutions and scholars who were not previously collaborating;
- Providing opportunities for Canadian scholars to engage with country scholars and institutions around topics of shared interest, including funding opportunities relevant for a specific country focus and problem;
- Creating a communication platform to share current research and academic opportunities;
- Providing a link to the University Advisory Council.
Currently in four countries, dynamic partnerships have evolved —in Zambia, Tanzania, Ghana and (more recently) Nigeria. All these partnerships respect and acknowledge communication norms in partner countries, exploring new approaches in communication to ensure that all team members are included in dialogues and knowledge sharing. These innovative approaches support CAGH’s long-term vision.