Canada-Peru Relations

Fact Sheet: General country information, political and economic data.

Beginning of Diplomatic Relations

Canada's first Ambassador to Peru, Jean-François Léon Henri Laureys, presented his credentials on October 21, 1944. Today, the Canadian Embassy in Lima continues to foster the expansion of political, trade, economic and investment relations between the two countries.

Key Issues

• Upcoming Elections:
  Presidential elections will be held in Peru in 2006.

• Decentralization process:
  The regionalization process was implemented by Peru's president, Alejandro Toledo, as part of an attempt to promote political decentralization in the country in order to strengthen and improve the democratic regime. Canada contributed to this initiative through the Human Security Program. The Unit for the Promotion of Democracy of the Organization of American States (OAS) will look after building the institutional capacity of newly elected regional governments and will encourage dialogue and consensus building with the national government.

• Peace and reconciliation:
  Over the past two years, Peru has made large strides in the areas of respect for human rights and good governance by fostering reconciliation and peacemaking at the national level. Canada strongly supports Peru's efforts to improve its governance. In 2001, Peruvian authorities created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate human rights violations committed in Peru over the past 20 years. The Commission released its report in August 2003 and the Government of Peru announced that it was going to follow up on the Commission's recommendations by considering possible financial compensation for some 69,000 victims.

Trade and Investment

International Trade Canada is responsible for positioning Canada as a world business leader and for promoting Canada as a dynamic place to do business. Visit the International Trade Canada web site for information about services for Canadian companies, non-Canadian companies, business development, and information relating to investment or trade policy.

Indigenous Relations

Learn more about the Aboriginal dimension of Canada's relations with countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Development Assistance

CIDA supports projects in the Americas and around the world that are eligible for Canadian aid through development cooperation initiatives.

April 2005.