Prime Minister Mark Carney of Canada and His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, met on November 20 in Abu Dhabi to advance bilateral ties and set clear priorities for trade and investment. This historic meeting – the first at the leader level in over 40 years – underscores a shared commitment to promoting prosperity, stability and security through concrete actions.
Building on more than 50 years of bilateral relations, both leaders expressed a shared desire to further strengthen this partnership, advancing towards an ambitious roadmap to deepen cooperation across trade, investment, regional security, and people-to-people ties. Both countries recognize the capacity to leverage strategic strengths in AI and digital innovation, agri-food, water management and climate resilience, infrastructure, critical minerals, and energy to benefit both countries.
The visit of Prime Minister Carney to the UAE marks a new era in Canada-UAE relations, one that will further elevate bilateral ties and promote investment as a driver of innovation, economic growth, and expanded business opportunities.
Trade and economic relations
Canada and the UAE share strong and enduring economic relations, built on a robust foundation of mutual trust and shared commitment to deepen these ties. Bilateral merchandise trade reached CAD $3.4 billion in 2024, reflecting the depth and vitality of the partnership. The visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney underscores a deepening of this partnership, with a strong focus on trade diversification, and complementary engagement across strategic sectors, including energy, infrastructure, clean technology, food security, and innovation.
The Canada-UAE Joint Committee for Cooperation provides a key platform to enhance bilateral ties, assess progress, and align mutual priorities, while facilitating coordination between governments and encouraging private sector engagement. Building on this framework, the two leaders announced the signing of a Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) and expressed their shared commitment to launch negotiations toward a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). These agreements provide investor protections, as well as liberalization and facilitation of trade in goods and services, broadening mutually beneficial commercial opportunities for Canadian and UAE companies and reinforcing a long-term, strategic, and sustainable economic partnership.
The two leaders also signalled their interest in strengthening people-to-people and commercial ties between the two countries through the announced expansion of the Canada-United Arab Emirates Air Transportation Agreement.
To further strengthen trade ties, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Maninder Sidhu, will lead a high-level business delegation to the UAE in early 2026. This mission will support Canadian companies in building partnerships with UAE counterparts and investors across key sectors, including energy, AI, ICT, security, infrastructure, agri-food, and advanced technologies.
Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a keynote address at the Investment Summit hosted by the Canadian–UAE Business Council. His remarks culminated in a series of high-level discussions, highlighting the achievements realized to date and articulating a bold vision for expanding investment opportunities, strengthening strategic partnerships across sectors, and deepening cooperation between the two nations.
Both countries reaffirmed their commitment to sustained engagement and advancing a partnership that delivers tangible benefits for both countries. The two leaders commended the significant progress achieved in bringing the two countries closer. Canada and the UAE are connected by academic partnerships including joint research programs, the contributions of the growing Canadian community in the UAE, and cultural initiatives. The UAE is home to more than 66,000 Canadians and Canada is an outstanding education destination supporting Emiratis in their academic journey in fields such as medicine, engineering, and finance.
Energy
The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to energy security and to advancing a just and orderly energy transition. They agreed to deepen cooperation across LNG, nuclear energy, hydrogen, and responsible critical-minerals value-chain development, drawing on Canada’s strengths in resources and technology and the UAE’s global logistics and investment capabilities. The leaders welcomed the UAE’s growing investment presence in Canada and expressed their intention to expand mutually beneficial opportunities for collaboration in the energy sector.
Water
Both countries recognized the central role of water in global climate and development discussions and noted the importance of innovation in addressing water scarcity, including initiatives such as the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative. The UN Water Conference – to be co-hosted in 2026 by the UAE and Senegal – stands to be a key multilateral platform for elevating the global water agenda and strengthening international engagement on water resilience and sustainable water management, and emphasizing water’s importance for people, prosperity, peace, and the planet.
Agri-Food
Both countries recognize the importance of resilient and sustainable agri-food systems to global food security. Canada and the UAE have the complementary strengths of the UAE and Canada in agricultural innovation and the active economic and knowledge links already connecting both countries. Both countries are committed to exploring opportunities for collaboration that draw on these foundations and support modern, efficient, and climate-responsive agri-food systems.
Cooperation in advanced sciences, space and innovation
Canada and the UAE agreed to deepen collaboration in AI, digital innovation, FinTech, clean technology and sustainable energy, supported by continued dialogue among institutions and stakeholders to advance cooperation in research, commercialization, and responsible deployment. Both sides underscored the importance of building inclusive, secure, and sustainable industries that reinforce supply chain resilience, contribute to climate goals, and drive long- term economic growth.
Regional stability and security
Canada and the UAE also agreed to take concrete steps to promote peace, reinforce stability, and advance inclusive prosperity across the Middle East and beyond. Both countries underscored the importance of sustained diplomatic engagement, humanitarian leadership, and multilateral cooperation in addressing regional and global geo-political challenges.
Canada commended the UAE’s constructive role in humanitarian response and mediation initiatives and both leaders highlighted the need for durable, just solutions grounded in international law, the rules-based order system; and inclusive political processes. They further affirmed their intent to continue working together to advance shared objectives of stability, development, and human dignity.
The leaders reaffirmed their shared commitment to achieving a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace based on the two-state solution, leading to the establishment of a sovereign, independent and viable Palestinian State living side by side with Israel, in peace and security, in accordance with international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.
Both sides welcomed the leadership of U.S. President Donald J. Trump and his Comprehensive Peace Plan to end the war in Gaza. The leaders also welcomed the adoption of resolution 2803 by the UN Security Council, which is a key instrument for implementing the plan, and charts a pathway toward Palestinian self-determination and statehood.
They expressed appreciation for the substantial efforts undertaken by the U.S. and regional partners to reach an agreement on a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. They emphasized the importance of all parties adhering to the ceasefire in order to alleviate humanitarian suffering and support conditions conducive to lasting peace.
Both countries are concerned by the spread of extremism and extremist ideologies that fuel terrorism and lead to conflict and are committed to addressing hate speech, extremism, and racism by promoting tolerance and interreligious and intercultural dialogue, in line with the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2686. In this regard, Canada and the UAE are firm in rejecting extremism in all its forms and manifestations.
The leaders emphasized the importance of adherence to international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, based on respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, and refraining from the use of force or threats. In this respect, they called for an end to the occupation of the three islands of the UAE - Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa - which constitutes a violation of the sovereignty of the UAE and principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
On Sudan, the two leaders condemned attacks against civilians, by the Rapid Support Forces and by the Sudanese Armed Forces. They emphasized the need for both warring parties and their affiliates to respect their obligations under international humanitarian law and international human rights law including the rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access throughout Sudan. They further welcomed the ongoing efforts of the Quad (United States, United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Egypt) and the need for an immediate ceasefire and an inclusive and transparent transition process that paves the way toward establishing an independent, civilian-led government with broad-based legitimacy and accountability. They further stressed that Sudan’s future cannot be dictated by extremist groups whose destabilizing influence has fueled violence and instability across the region.
During the visit, Prime Minister Carney visited the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, the largest in the UAE and among the largest in the world. There, he paid tribute to the legacy of His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the UAE’s founding President and father of the current President.
At the conclusion of the visit, Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his sincere appreciation to President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended throughout the visit. He highlighted his confidence in a future marked by even deeper cooperation and shared prosperity, strengthened by mutual trust, close friendship, and a common vision for advancing the partnership between Canada and the UAE.