UAE, Canada build partnership for uncertain decade
When Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Abu Dhabi last November, he said Canada and the UAE might look as different as snow and sand, yet are deeply aligned. Eleven months later, that line reads less like diplomatic courtesy and more like a forecast. This week, Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, made the first visit by an Emirati crown prince to Ottawa. The…
UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made the first visit to Ottawa by an Emirati crown prince, marking the start of closer ties with Canada. The two nations signed a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), a modernized defence agreement, and a memorandum on diplomatic training. The CEPA, concluded in just 47 days, will likely double two-way trade within a decade, cutting tariffs on over 99 percent of current Canadian exports to the UAE.
Both countries aim to bolster investment, with the UAE already Canada's largest Middle Eastern export market. Geopolitical considerations also play a role, as the UAE seeks to diversify its trade partnerships and reduce dependence on any single market. With political will and strategic foresight, the UAE and Canada are transforming a friendly relationship into a structured strategic partnership.
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