Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, held official talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Jeddah on Thursday.
Discussions focused on regional and international developments and efforts exerted towards them.
They also tackled bilateral ties between their countries and opportunities to develop them in various fields.
Carney’s office had previously said talks will address bilateral relations with focus on energy, critical minerals, investment, infrastructure, advanced technologies and defense cooperation.
The visit reflects the strength of relations between Saudi Arabia and Canada and the keenness of their leaderships on bolstering political coordination and expanding economic cooperation and investments amid the regional and international changes.
The visit underscores Saudi Arabia’s political and economic standing and its pioneering role on the international stage. It reflects Ottawa’s desire to bolster consultations with Riyadh on issues of common interest and elevate bilateral ties.
Crown Prince Mohammed and Carney also witnessed the signing of three memoranda of understanding (MoUs):
First: An MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources Canada, signed by Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz and Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand.
Second: An MoU between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Government of Canada on establishing the Saudi-Canadian Coordination Council as a platform to implement a joint action document serving as a roadmap for the next phase of bilateral relations, signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Anand.
Third: An MoU between the Saudi Ministry of Communications and Information Technology and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, on artificial intelligence investment and skills development, signed by Saudi Data and AI Authority President Dr. Abdullah Alghamdi and Anand.
The meeting of talks was attended by Saudi Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of National Guard Prince Abdullah bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of Finance Mohammed Aljadaan, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, and Saudi Ambassador to Canada Amal Almoallimi.
The meeting was also attended by Canadian Minister of Finance and National Revenue François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Foreign Affairs Anita Anand, Minister of National Defense David McGuinty, Canadian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jean-Philippe Linteau, Member of Parliament Sameer Zuberi, Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Marc-André Blanchard, Foreign and Defense Policy Advisor at the Privy Council Office Jennifer May, Chief Executive Officer of the Defense Investment Agency Doug Guzman, and Prime Minister's Senior Advisor on Foreign, Defense, and Security Policy Scott Gilmore.
