Ottawa, June 24, 2025 — The Europe Today: The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, hosted H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, during an official visit to Canada from June 19 to 20. The visit marked a significant step in reinforcing the strong and evolving relationship between the two nations across a broad spectrum of shared priorities.
The visit underscored the mutual commitment of both countries to expand cooperation in trade and investment, innovation, people-to-people ties, international development, and regional peace and security.
High-Level Engagements
During the visit, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with the Right Honourable Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, where they discussed growing bilateral relations. On behalf of UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, H.H. Sheikh Abdullah extended an invitation to Prime Minister Carney to visit the UAE later this year.
Both sides emphasized the importance of accelerating collaboration, particularly in economic domains, and welcomed the opening of the Dubai Chambers office in Toronto—its first presence in North America. The launch event, attended by Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, and the UAE Foreign Minister’s Envoy to Canada, H.E. Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, was hailed as a major milestone under the Dubai Global initiative to strengthen economic ties with Canada.
Economic and Trade Cooperation
The two nations reiterated their commitment to deepening economic engagement, particularly in emerging sectors such as artificial intelligence, energy, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. They acknowledged the important role of the Canada-UAE Business Council in fostering private sector collaboration and welcomed the global institutional partnerships, such as that between Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec and DP World, which spans 15 ports and logistics hubs.
Both countries also expressed intent to swiftly conclude ongoing negotiations for a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) to further facilitate bilateral investment.
A business roundtable co-chaired by Minister Sidhu and Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, provided a platform to identify new opportunities for collaboration.
Innovation and Artificial Intelligence
Canada and the UAE acknowledged the strategic significance of artificial intelligence (AI) and digital innovation. With both countries pioneering in AI policy—Canada recently appointing its first Minister for AI and Digital Innovation, and the UAE having the world’s first Minister of State for AI—they pledged to pursue deeper cooperation in responsible AI development and governance.
The two sides committed to strengthening institutional dialogue and joint research initiatives, promoting inclusive, secure, and sustainable AI applications.
Water Security and Climate Cooperation
Water resource management emerged as a central theme, with both nations recognizing water’s role in climate resilience. The UAE’s Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative and the upcoming 2026 UN Water Conference, to be co-hosted by the UAE and Senegal, were highlighted as key global efforts. Canada and the UAE pledged closer cooperation on scaling water technologies and addressing global water scarcity challenges.
Energy Transition and Natural Resources
The UAE and Canada reaffirmed their commitment to energy security and the transition to a low-carbon economy. They expressed readiness to enhance collaboration in decarbonization, hydrogen, LNG, nuclear energy, and critical mineral value chains. Canada welcomed the UAE’s increasing investments in its energy sector, acknowledging the UAE’s global leadership in energy transition efforts.
Regional and Global Peace and Security
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to advancing peace and stability in the Middle East and globally. They condemned all acts of terrorism and reiterated the importance of multilateralism, humanitarian leadership, and sustained diplomatic engagement.
On the Israel-Iran conflict and the ongoing crisis in Gaza, both sides stressed the urgent need for a permanent ceasefire, release of hostages, and unhindered humanitarian aid. They also voiced strong support for a two-state solution and long-term regional stability grounded in international law.
Institutional Frameworks and Development Cooperation
Canada and the UAE highlighted the role of the Joint Committee for Cooperation (JC) as a strategic mechanism for advancing collaboration in trade, security, defence, climate, and more. The next JC Ministerial will be hosted by Canada, reaffirming the two countries’ shared commitment to institutionalized and results-oriented partnership.
On global development, both sides praised their ongoing cooperation in humanitarian response and resilience-building. Canada commended the UAE’s leadership in Gaza and its mediation role in Ukraine, including its facilitation of 15 prisoner exchanges.
People-to-People Ties
Cultural exchange and educational collaboration were celebrated as key pillars of bilateral engagement. Canada welcomed the increasing number of Emirati students at Canadian institutions, while the UAE acknowledged the contributions of over 60,000 Canadians residing in the Emirates.
Both nations praised the recent Toronto exhibition “As the Sun Appears from Beyond”, co-organized by the Aga Khan Museum and the UAE Ministry of Culture, as an important symbol of intercultural dialogue and shared values.
Conclusion
The visit reaffirmed the strong and dynamic partnership between the UAE and Canada—rooted in mutual respect, shared aspirations, and a common vision for sustainable development and global peace.
Both sides committed to deepening cooperation, maintaining high-level engagement, and building a resilient, forward-looking relationship that delivers meaningful outcomes for their peoples and contributes to international stability and prosperity.
