NEWS RELEASES
APPOINTMENTS TO IDRC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
April 23, 1999 (11:50 a.m. EDT) No. 89
APPOINTMENTS TO IDRC BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Foreign Affairs Minister Lloyd Axworthy today announced the appointments of Dr. Octavio Gomez-Dantes, Dr.
Francisco Sagasti and Dr. Rodger D. Schwass to the Board of Governors of the International Development
Research Centre (IDRC).
IDRC is a public corporation created by the Parliament of Canada in 1970 to help developing-country scientists
and communities find solutions to social, economic and environmental problems through research. By bringing
together people, institutions and ideas, IDRC seeks to ensure that the benefits of this research will be shared
equitably among all its partners in both the northern and the southern hemispheres.
IDRC is directed by a 21-member Board of Governors comprising 11 Canadian members and 10 non-Canadian
members.
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Biographical notes on the appointees are attached.
For further information, media representatives may contact:
Debora Brown
Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs
(613) 995-1851
Media Relations Office
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade
(613) 995-1874
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Dr. Octavio Gomez-Dantes is currently Director of Health Policy at the Centre for Health Systems Research of the
National Institute of Public Health of Mexico. He co-ordinates research activities in the health policy area.
Dr. Gomez-Dantes' recent research activities include projects on the decentralization of health services in Mexico
and its impact on women's health; the magnitude of violence in Mexico City and its impact on health services; the
weight of equity and fairness in Mexican health care reform; and the availability of essential drugs in rural units of
Mexico's Ministry of Health.
Before taking up the position of Director of Health Policy, Dr. Gomez-Dantes co-ordinated a project on the future of
international health, as well as a leadership forum for health aimed at senior officials in the Latin American and
Caribbean health sectors.
Dr. Gomez-Dantes received his Masters in Public Health, Harvard School of Public Health (1989-90), and his
Masters in Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health (1990-91). He has authored and co-authored numerous publications on health policy.
Dr. Francisco Sagasti is currently the President of FORO Nacional/Internacional, an institution that promotes
dialogue, debate and consensus on critical development issues. He is also director of FORO's Agenda: Peru
program of studies on development strategies. Previously, he was senior researcher and program director at the
Grupo de Analisis para el Desarrollo (GRADE), a Peruvian policy-oriented research institution. He was Chief of
Strategic Planning at the World Bank from 1987 to 1990 and was Chairman of the United Nations Advisory
Committee on Science and Technology for Development from 1988 to 1989. Dr. Sagasti was also advisor to the
Peruvian Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Planning. He has been on numerous boards and committees including as
a member of the Rector's Advisory Committee of the United Nations University, a member of the UNESCO science
policy advisory committee and a member of the Board of the Peruvian National Council for Science and
Technology.
Dr. Sagasti obtained his PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1980, Dr. Sagasti received the United Nations
Peace Medal and the Paul Hoffman Award of the Society for International Development for his "outstanding
contributions to national and international development." He has published numerous papers and books on science
and technology policy, systems analysis, management sciences, future research and development strategies.
Dr. Rodger D. Schwass is Professor Emeritus and Senior Scholar at York University's Faculty of Environmental
Studies, a position he has held since 1996. He has held numerous other positions at York University as Professor,
Faculty of Environmental Studies; Director of the York University-University of Indonesia Environmental
Management Training Project; Director, York University-University of Peshawar, Pakistan, Environmental Training
Project; Director of the Faculty of Environmental Studies-University of Nairobi Project; and Dean, Faculty of
Environmental Studies. Other positions include Vice-President, Acres Consulting; Vice-President, Hedlin Menzies
and Associates; and National Secretary, Farm Radio Forum.
Dr. Schwass has been a member of numerous boards, including the Developing Countries Farm Radio Network;
the CIDA/York University/Ontario Hydro/Province of Ontario Kenya-Canada Energy Advisory Project; the Banff
Centre and Niagara Institute Advisory Committees; and the Humber College Board of Governors.
Dr. Schwass has done extensive work on the development of national conservation strategies in Pakistan,
Jamaica, Tanzania, Kenya, Indonesia and China. He is the author of numerous reports, policy guidelines and
articles, including Institutional Linkages between Canada and the Third World.
Dr. Schwass received his PhD from the University of Toronto in 1972.
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