Profile: Sue Szabo

Making a difference in developing countries

Working behind the scenes, Sue Szabo of the Department of Finance Canada’s International Trade and Finance Branch has done a lot to enhance Canada’s reputation on the international stage.

First as a senior advisor for the Development Policy group, and now as the Chief of the Development Institutions group, Sue has worked in many areas of international assistance, taking the initiative in numerous projects. In this capacity, she is part of the helping hand that Canada extends to the developing world.

One of her most notable achievements in recent years was her work on the Advance Market Commitment (AMC) for pneumococcal disease. The AMC is a new model for obtaining financial commitment by donor countries like Canada to buy a vaccine if and when it is successfully developed. This creates a viable market for the private sector companies, who in turn guarantee to supply the vaccines at low and sustainable prices after the donor funds are used up.

Pneumococcal disease is a devastating disease that kills more than 1.6 million people every year in developing nations. Vaccination is one of the most cost-effective ways to fight it, but the private sector is reluctant to invest in vaccines because developing countries have a limited ability to buy them.

Saving lives

The AMC, as a binding financial offer from donors, can spur the development of vaccines, specifically those that prevent diseases common in developing countries.  This innovative approach can save millions of lives by getting vaccines developed and distributed to those who would benefit most from them.

Innovative projects like the AMC are hard to get off the ground because it’s difficult to show donors exactly how they will be implemented. It’s understandable that donors would be hesitant to take a chance on something untested. The G8, for example, initially welcomed the AMC concept, but a few months later donors were pulling back from any tangible commitments.

Eventually, thanks in part to Sue’s untiring efforts, Canada was the first to make a substantial financial commitment to the pilot AMC. This nudged other countries to follow suit.

Shaping how money is spent

“Countries spend a lot of money on their development aid,” says Sue. “There’s a lot that people can do in terms of shaping how that money is spent.”

Sue has made a career of helping developing countries, first with multilateral and non-government organizations (NGOs) and, later, in the Public Service. “I’ve worked at the World Bank; I’ve worked at a large international NGO. I know those worlds and that there’s  a lot one can contribute through such organizations.”

She’s equally optimistic about the potential to make a difference in developing countries as a member of the Public Service. “I’m continually amazed by how much creativity one can have in the Public Service . The AMC is just one example. I have many examples of interesting things I’ve been able to work on in the federal government.”

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