Toronto: Mark Carney, Prime Minister of Canada, received Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, on the sidelines of the Canada Investment Summit 2026 in Toronto. Al Zeyoudi was accompanied by a high-level UAE delegation, including investors, business leaders, and officials from both public and private sectors, participating in the Investment Summit.
According to Emirates News Agency, Al Zeyoudi conveyed greetings from UAE leadership to Prime Minister Carney, expressing wishes for continued progress and prosperity for Canada. In response, Carney welcomed the UAE delegation and conveyed his greetings to the UAE leadership, appreciating the growing bilateral relationship and expressing a desire to strengthen it further, particularly in trade and investment.
The discussions at the meeting focused on the increasing momentum in trade and investment relations between the UAE and Canada, exploring cooperation in priority sectors such as clean energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, agri-food, aviation, space, and infrastructure. Both sides emphasized the importance of accelerating the implementation of the US$50 billion investment framework announced during Carney's visit to the UAE in November 2025.
The meeting also highlighted the progress made since the conclusion of Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) negotiations between the UAE and Canada last July. This negotiation was completed in record time, marking it as the fastest under the UAE's CEPA program and the fastest trade negotiation ever concluded by Canada.
Al Zeyoudi stated that the meeting and participation in the summit underscored the depth of the UAE-Canada economic partnership and its potential to support sustainable growth and create new opportunities for both countries' business communities. He emphasized the strides made in enhancing strategic trade and investment relations and the efforts to transform this momentum into concrete projects in key future economy sectors.
During his visit, Al Zeyoudi engaged in bilateral activities, including a working luncheon hosted by Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, and meetings with various Canadian officials. Discussions focused on strengthening trade and investment relations, expanding bilateral commerce, and leveraging the UAE's strategic location to build diversified and resilient economic partnerships.
The UAE delegation included notable figures such as Sultan bin Saeed Al Mansoori, Chair of Dubai Chambers, and various other prominent leaders from the UAE's public and private sectors. Bilateral non-oil trade between the UAE and Canada reached approximately US$4.2 billion in 2025, marking a 21 percent growth from 2024. In the first half of 2026, bilateral non-oil trade reached approximately US$2.03 billion, a 19 percent increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Canada is the UAE's third-largest trading partner in the Americas, while the UAE is Canada's largest Arab trading partner, representing a significant portion of Canada's trade with Arab countries in 2025.