Jean-Philippe Linteau, Canada’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain and Yemen, stressed that his country looks forward to strengthening a comprehensive partnership with Saudi Arabia, with the aim to promote regional peace and security, and economic cooperation.
In an interview with Asharq Al-Awsat, Linteau said that he was pleased with the development of the Saudi-Canadian relations, noting that since 2023, the two countries have officially restored full diplomatic ties.
In this context, he pointed that many Canadian companies were looking to open offices in Riyadh to take advantage of the huge trade opportunities in the Kingdom.
The Canadian diplomat added that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have spoken on several occasions, while high-level visits have taken place in both directions, with the goal to push the bilateral relations forward.
He stressed that Saudi Arabia was also playing a constructive diplomatic role on global peace and security, by repeatedly calling on various sides to hold talks on a peace formula to end the war in Ukraine.
“We will continue to work together towards a safer and more prosperous world,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.
Linteau went on to say that he was looking forward to expanding bridges between Canada and Saudi Arabia across a range of shared priorities, from enhancing economic prosperity and contributing to vibrant societies, to promoting regional peace and security.
He continued that a safe and stable region will enhance the success of Saudi Vision 2030.
According to the Canadian ambassador, as the region is going through a dangerous phase, the Kingdom’s leadership has worked to encourage stopping the escalation and seeking to resolve conflicts, whether in Sudan, Yemen, or more recently in Gaza, where he stressed that Canada shares the Kingdom’s commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Describing Saudi Arabia as a “wonderful country”, Linteau said he expected Canadian companies to increase their investments in Saudi Vision 2030 programs, which feature a successful diversification of the Saudi economy and broad opportunities for bilateral cooperation in traditional, new and innovative sectors, such as culture, tourism and clean technology.
Saudi Arabia is a dynamic country that is still undergoing tremendous changes, the diplomat emphasized, noting that many of the reforms underway in the Kingdom are those adopted by Canada, such as empowering women and youth, enhancing economic prosperity, and modernizing governance.
