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Saudi-Canadian affirmation of strengthening relations and commitment to a strong partnership

Riyadh and Ottawa condemned Iran's attacks and affirmed commitment to enhancing defense cooperation

Saudi Arabia

Jeddah: Al Arabiya.net

Published: July 10, 2026: 02:29 AM GST Last updated: July 10, 2026: 03:17 AM GST

Saudi Arabia and Canada affirmed their keenness to strengthen bilateral relations, set clear priorities for enhancing joint cooperation, and their commitment to building a strong and future-oriented partnership that ensures sustainable cooperation in many fields including trade, investment, innovation, multilateral forums, and regional security.

This came in a joint statement following the visit of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Saudi Arabia and his meeting with Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, as they affirmed their shared commitment to building a strong and future partnership between the two countries.

Saudi-Canadian Coordination

They also agreed to establish the Saudi-Canadian Coordination Council, chaired by the foreign ministers of the two countries, aimed at advancing cooperation and achieving tangible results in political, defense and security, economic, trade and investment, cultural, educational, scientific, and consular fields.

Launch of Joint Work Document

Accordingly, the two sides welcomed the launch of the Joint Work Document between the two countries, to serve as a roadmap supporting the work of the Saudi-Canadian Coordination Council, contributing to enhanced joint cooperation across strategic sectors.

Saudi Crown Prince and Canadian Prime Minister upon his arrival in Jeddah

Cooperation in Artificial Intelligence Fields

In the same context, they welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on investment in artificial intelligence and skills development, aiming to enhance cooperation in key areas of common interest, including joint investment opportunities in specific sectors, encouraging business linkages through trade missions, enhancing technical cooperation, and supporting skills development and advanced training in artificial intelligence.

The first visit of the Canadian Prime Minister aligns with Ottawa's affirmation of strengthening relations with Riyadh

Future Opportunities between Riyadh and Ottawa

The two sides also discussed future opportunities to expand cooperation in public health, biotechnology, digital health, pharmaceutical industries, medical technologies, and exchange of expertise, training programs, and research.

Expansion of Air Transport

Throughout the course of talks, the two sides affirmed the importance of air connectivity between the two countries, and noted the expansion of the Air Transport Agreement signed in November 2025, which allows for the operation of approximately 14 weekly passenger flights for each country and unlimited weekly cargo services, and emphasized the importance of continued cooperation between relevant authorities in the two countries in civil aviation.

In a related context, they agreed on the importance of expanding the scope of the Air Transport Agreement to support the growth of passenger and cargo air transport between the two countries, thereby strengthening economic ties and bridges of communication between the two friendly peoples.

Riyadh and Ottawa also affirmed the importance of enhancing cooperation and joint coordination in international forums and organizations, and multilateral financial and economic institutions, contributing to supporting global stability and economic growth. The Canadian side affirmed its support for the Kingdom's desire to host the G20 summit in 2030.

Saudi Arabia and Canada: Cooperation, Prosperity, and Friendship

In a related context, the two sides expressed confidence in a future characterized by deeper cooperation and shared prosperity, supported by mutual trust, close friendship, and a shared vision to advance the partnership between the two countries. They expressed confidence that strengthening this partnership will achieve mutual and tangible benefits, support Vision 2030 and Canada's goals to build a stronger and more resilient economy and diversify external partnerships. They agreed that this partnership is based on trust, friendship, and a shared vision to address global challenges through practical, intensive, and tangible cooperation.

In the same context, Saudi Arabia and Canada affirmed the importance of fully utilizing the potential offered by bilateral economic relations, welcomed the growing cooperation between Saudi and Canadian companies, and noted the volume of bilateral trade, which has exceeded $20 billion since 2020. They agreed to encourage mutual investments, increase non-oil trade volume, and support small and medium enterprises.

Double Taxation Avoidance Negotiations

The two sides agreed to start negotiations on a double taxation avoidance agreement and welcomed the ongoing negotiations on an investment protection and promotion agreement, aiming to finalize it by early 2027.

They also agreed on the importance of cooperation between financial institutions to enhance financing for strategic and major projects. The Saudi side welcomed the interest of Canadian investors in visiting the Kingdom to explore available opportunities, and the Canadian side expressed its welcome for Saudi investors at the first investment summit to be held in Toronto in September 2026.

The two sides welcomed the convening of the Saudi-Canadian Investment Forum on July 9, 2026, during which a number of trade and investment agreements were announced between relevant entities in the two countries in the fields of mining, engineering, infrastructure, advanced industries, training, education, financial services, and information and communications technology, reflecting the economic momentum between the two countries and promising opportunities in various sectors.

Similarly, according to the statement, the two sides welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation and highlighted cooperation opportunities in traditional and clean energy fields, including LNG projects in Canada, electricity, renewable energy and hydrogen, carbon management technologies, innovation, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, resilient supply chains, and workforce development.

Cooperation in the Mining Sector

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Canada look forward to expanding horizons of cooperation in mining and mineral resources. They welcomed the memorandum of understanding signed in January 2026 to enhance cooperation in mineral resources, including exploration, financing, and processing technologies. They noted that Canadian companies have obtained the largest share of exploration licenses issued by the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources in the Kingdom, expressing their desire to enhance industrial cooperation focusing on advanced industries.

Defense Cooperation

Politically, the two sides affirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation and coordination in the defense field, contributing to regional stability and international security. They welcomed enhanced cooperation in defense, cybersecurity, counterterrorism, combating transnational organized crime, and exchange of expertise between relevant authorities.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Minister of Defense, today met with his Canadian counterpart David McFadyen, and they discussed Saudi-Canadian relations, reviewed bilateral cooperation between Riyadh and Ottawa in the military and defense fields, and developments in regional situations and efforts made therein, contributing to achieving security and stability in the region and the world.

Condemnation of Iran's Attacks