March 5, 2007
No. 33
The Honourable Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency, today announced the appointment of Dr. W. Andy
Knight to the Board of Governors of the International Development Research Centre
(IDRC), as well as the reappointments of Mr. Ged Davis and Dr. Francisco Sagasti and
the new appointments of Mr. Andrés Rozental and Ms. Amina Ibrahim as international
members of the Board.
“I am pleased that Dr. Knight, Mr. Davis, Dr. Sagasti, Mr. Rozental and Ms. Ibrahim will
be serving on the IDRC Board,” said Minister MacKay. “Their vast knowledge and
expertise of international development issues will help the Centre deliver its mandate,
and ensure that it continues to support researchers from developing countries in finding
sustainable solutions to their pressing problems.”
The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is a public corporation created
by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing countries use science and
technology to find practical, long-term solutions to the social, economic, and
environmental problems they face. Support is directed toward developing an indigenous
research capacity to sustain policies and technologies that developing countries need to
build healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous societies.
A Crown corporation, IDRC works collaboratively with many federal government
departments, especially Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada and the
Canadian International Development Agency. Guided by a 21-member international
Board of Governors, IDRC reports to Parliament through the Minister of Foreign Affairs.
For more information on the IDRC, consult their website at http://www.idrc.ca.
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Biographical notes are attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Foreign Affairs Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-995-1874
http://www.international.gc.ca
Chantal Schryer
Director of Communications
International Development Research Centre
613-236-6163, ext. 2598
cschryer@idrc.ca
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
W. Andy Knight, PhD, is Professor of International Relations in the Department of
Political Science at the University of Alberta. In addition, he is Coordinator/Advisor for
the Peace and Post-Conflict Studies Program. He is past Vice Chair of the Academic
Council of the UN System and was editor of the Global Governance Journal. Dr. Knight
holds several board memberships, including Canadian Consortium for Peace Studies,
People’s Movement for Human Rights Education, and The John Humphrey Centre for
Peace and Human Rights. His books include Adapting the United Nations to a Post
Modern World: Lessons Learned, A Changing United Nations: Multilateral Evolution
and the Quest for Global Governance, and Building Sustainable Peace (with Tom
Keating). Dr. Knight is a winner of the University Chancellor’s teaching award from
Bishop’s University.
Ged Davis is the Managing Director of the Centre for Strategic Insight at the World
Economic Forum in Geneva, Switzerland. He has 30 years of experience in working
with Royal Dutch Shell and extensive experience in managing strategy and business
environment teams. Mr. Davis graduated with a degree in mining engineering from
Imperial College, London. He holds postgraduate degrees in economics and
engineering from the London School of Economics and Stanford University, California.
He is a member of the InterAcademy Council Study Panel on Transitions to Sustainable
Energy and is the Co-Chair for the Climate Dialogue at Pocantico: International Climate
Efforts Beyond 2012.
Francisco Sagasti has been, since 1993, the Director of FORO Nacional/internacional,
an independent non-governmental organization in Peru. Dr. Sagasti was Senior Advisor
to the Rector, University for Peace and Director of Agenda PERU, a program of studies,
events and mass media activities designed to promote dialogue and consensus on
critical development issues, carried out at FORO Nacional/Internacional. Dr. Sagasti
holds a PhD in operations research and social systems sciences from the Wharton
School, University of Pennsylvania (1972); MA, industrial engineering from
Pennsylvania State University (1970); Professional Engineer, industrial engineering
from the National Engineering University in Lima, Peru (1966). He has published
numerous papers and books on science and technology policy, systems analysis,
management sciences, futures research and development strategies.
Andrés Rozental is President of the Mexican Council on Foreign Relations (Consejo
Mexicano de Asuntos Internacionales). Ambassador Rozental has held various senior
government and diplomatic posts, including Ambassador of Mexico to the United
Kingdom and Ambassador of Mexico to the Kingdom of Sweden, as well as Deputy
Foreign Minister of Mexico. In addition, he was Ambassador-at-Large and Special
Envoy for President Fox of Mexico. Ambassador Rozental is currently a member of the
Board of Directors of Deutsche Latin American Companies Trust, Grupo Industrial
Omega, Aeroplazas de México and Inmobiliaria Fumisa. He is also Chairman of the
Board of Latinoamericana Duty Free and President of his own consulting firm,
Rozental & Asociados, in Mexico City.
Amina Ibrahim is Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Ms. Ibrahim previously served as the National
Coordinator of the Education for All process in Nigeria. She has spent the past 24 years
working in the development arena with a background in Project Management.
Ms. Ibrahim’s current international assignments include Co-coordinator, Education and
Gender Task Force of the MDGs, under the leadership of Professor Jeffrey Sachs and
supported by UNDP; Member, Expert Group on Education of the Global Governance
Initiative of the World Economic Forum; and Technical Expert on numerous UNESCO
activities. In addition, she currently serves on the board of the National Human Rights
Commission.
