Ontario International Development Agency (OIDA) is a non governmental organization (NGO) registered in Ontario, Canada. OIDA does not represent any political or religious groups. OIDA provides humanitarian programs to develop skills and alleviate poverty, chronic unemployment, and hunger in rural communities in  South Asian and West African countries. OIDA is actively involved in  the creation of a conducive and sustainable environment through programs and projects, fostering socio economic development by promoting ethnic harmony, ensuring the provision of equal opportunities to all.   OIDA funds applied research by researchers from South Asian and West African countries on the problems they identify as crucial to their communities. It also helps to obtain technical support to those researchers from Canadian universities and colleges, institutions and Non governmental organizations  associated with it. OIDA builds local capacity in developing countries to undertake projects and create innovations, believing that people from developing, especially South Asian and West African countries, must take the lead in producing and applying knowledge for the benefit of their own communities. OIDA also fosters alliances and knowledge sharing between scientific, academic, and development communities in Canada and developing countries, and supports its development projects.   International Development Policy and Mandate   The purpose of development assistance is to support sustainable development in developing countries, in order to reduce poverty and to contribute to a more secure, equitable, and prosperous world.   Development cooperation policy and programs will:   • Advance Canadian values of global citizenship, equity, and environmental sustainability, as well as Canadian interests regarding security, prosperity, and governance;   • Deliver visible, durable impact on the world's key development challenges as identified in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Focus on reducing poverty through an effective and focused approach which will match Canadian niches with developing countries' needs in coordination with other partners;   • Recognize and promote sustainable solutions to address the critical linkages between environmental degradation, poverty, and social inequity; and   • Mobilize Canadians to build our society's capacity to contribute effectively to global poverty reduction. Ontario Corporation #: 1673435 Agency Founded in 2001