BR-Foreign-Aid

OTTAWA — While Canada is one of the top contributors to foreign aid among some of the world's richest countries, a fifth of the spending never leaves Canada's borders.

Some 19 per cent of Canada's aid reported to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development last year benefitted refugees and Ukrainians within Canada.

Analysts say the breakdown reflects an especially turbulent period in geopolitics, with millions looking for refuge outside their home countries.

The One Campaign, which fights poverty in African countries, says many have called for the numbers to be reported separately for years.

Unlike other countries, the group says Canada's spending on refugees has not eaten into its baseline foreign-aid budget.

However, it says Canada is focused more on responding to crises than helping countries invest in their health care, energy, and emergency systems to prevent problems down the road.

The Canadian Press