Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney affirmed that Saudi Arabia is Canada's second-largest trading partner among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, stressing the role of the private sector and ongoing bilateral cooperation in strengthening this relationship. This was according to a report by Asharq Bloomberg.

During the opening of the Saudi-Canadian Investment Forum in Jeddah today, he pointed to significant opportunities for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and his country in the energy sector, including nuclear energy and infrastructure, as well as defense, military systems, and advanced technologies.

Carney said: 'Mining and rare earth minerals represent one of the most prominent areas of cooperation.'

Remarkable Growth

For his part, Chairman of the Saudi-Canadian Business Council Jeffrey Steiner stated that the forum witnessed the signing of about 15 agreements that have already been reached, covering the aviation and space, mining, education, technology, information technology, and communications sectors.

He added: 'Trade relations between Canada and the Kingdom have seen remarkable growth recently, amid efforts by both governments to remove barriers to trade and investment.'