ISTANBUL

Saudi Arabia and Canada agreed on Thursday to establish a joint coordination council as a platform to boost bilateral relations, as part of three memorandums of understanding exchanged on the sidelines of the first visit by a Canadian prime minister to the kingdom in 26 years.

This came after a meeting held by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at Al-Salam Palace in the city of Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed 'aspects of bilateral relations between the two countries, areas of cooperation, and opportunities to develop them in various sectors,' according to SPA.

The Saudi agency reported that the discussions covered 'developments in regional and international events and efforts made regarding them, in addition to the exchange of three memorandums of understanding.'

Afterward, Mohammed bin Salman and Carney witnessed the exchange of three memorandums of understanding between the two countries.

The first memorandum included an understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and the Canadian Ministry of Natural Resources in the field of energy.

The Saudi side was represented in the exchange of the memorandum by Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman, and the Canadian side by Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

The second memorandum concerns the establishment of the Saudi-Canadian Coordination Council, to serve as a platform for implementing the contents of the joint work document between the two countries, which represents a roadmap for the next phase in Saudi-Canadian relations.

The two sides were represented in the exchange of the memorandum by Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and his Canadian counterpart Anita Anand.

The effort to establish the coordination council comes within the path of revitalizing relations between Riyadh and Ottawa, after the two countries announced on May 24, 2023, the restoration of diplomatic relations to their previous level, following a crisis that lasted about five years.

SPA did not provide additional details regarding the council's mechanism or meeting schedule.

The third memorandum included an understanding between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and the Canadian Ministry of Industry regarding investment in artificial intelligence and skills development.

The Saudi side was represented in its exchange by the head of the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), Abdullah bin Sharaf Al-Ghamdi, and the Canadian side by Foreign Minister Anand.

Carney's visit, who became prime minister in March 2025, is the first by a Canadian prime minister to Saudi Arabia since Jean Chrétien's visit in 2000.

The visit comes at a time when Canada is making efforts to diversify its trade and attract investments, amid the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump and his threats regarding the trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada, highlighting Ottawa's heavy reliance on Washington, its largest trading partner.

In contrast, Saudi Arabia seeks to attract more foreign investments as part of a plan led by the crown prince to diversify the kingdom's economy and reduce its dependence on oil.