“Landed in Jeddah. Canada is building a new partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — one that harnesses the ambition of our nations to build greater prosperity and opportunity for our people.”
Those were the words of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney upon his arrival in Jeddah to participate in the Canada Investment Forum. This was no ordinary visit. It came at a critical moment for the Gulf region, amid a fluid geopolitical situation that is shaping the contours of a new multipolar world.
It is worth noting that Carney has, since last January, been an icon of this global shift after issuing his call for middle powers to strive to reshape the old world order, which was characterized by injustice, whatever claims to the contrary.
The principal objective of the visit may be seen to be strengthening the bilateral partnership and cooperation between the two countries. That was signaled Carney’s praise for the remarkable acceleration of Saudi economic growth across all technical indicators, alongside the vast structural transformations taking place under Vision 2030, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The visit is inevitably closely tied to profound global changes within the tectonic structures of the global economy that quickly affect political relations among nations and peoples. Canada is working diligently to diversify its trade and attract foreign investment, driven by mounting pressure and US tariffs.
In this context, Canada is opening up to emerging international powers that are rapidly gaining influence within the global balance of power - foremost among them Saudi Arabia - presents an investment lifeline and a gateway to new markets. It also enhances the Canadian economy’s resilience in the face of political volatility from near and far.
It is perhaps fortunate that Canada's aspirations align with the Kingdom’s policies as it presses ahead with implementing Vision 2030, which is taking Saudi Arabia beyond the era of dependence on oil revenues and turning it into a major force in the Middle Eastern - and indeed global - economic equation.
With great wisdom and careful planning, Riyadh is seeking to attract greater inflows of foreign direct investment, transfer technology and localize new industries. Are we witnessing the emergence of creative and pragmatic foreign policy founded on the cooperative, multilateral visions that are essential in times of major transformation?
It is clear that Carney’s visit, and his meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed, represented far more than a ceremonial occasion. They consolidated a new economic axis linking the largest economy in the Middle East with one of the leading economies of the Group of Seven. This partnership is based on the exchange of mutual interests and on confronting global economic challenges and crises, particularly amid the turbulence in international markets.
Although several memoranda of understanding were signed between Saudi Arabia and Canada during the visit in areas including energy, natural resources and telecommunications, the most significant, in the view of this writer, was the memorandum concerning the two governments’ agreement to establish a Saudi-Canadian Coordination Council.
Here, we are looking at a real platform for implementing the joint working document signed between the two countries, which serves as a roadmap for the next phase of their relations.
Carney’s visit to Saudi Arabia is of exceptional importance because it could be regarded as the first step in the thousand-mile journey he announced in Davos. That initiative calls on middle powers to secure a place at the tables of international negotiations and to become fully engaged partners in drawing the maps of the new world and weaving its fabric. They must do so without hesitation or complacency, which could turn them into items on the menus of global powers seeking to extend their influence across land, sea and air.
Canada’s leadership and people understand that Vision 2030 had, in effect, anticipated Carney’s roadmap - national transformation driven by iron will to change conditions and reshape established patterns.
As a result, Saudi Arabia’s position, role and international image have changed. It is no longer seen only as a producer of crude oil, important though that remains, but as a visionary state with clear goals and a broader mission. It seeks first to serve its own people while contributing to global stability by transforming itself into an international hub for advanced and clean energy. It is opening major opportunities in mining, as well as in logistics through its numerous ports.
Nor should we overlook the effort to promote the Kingdom's cultural and historical heritage through tourism. Equally important is opening new horizons of hope and employment in the fields of artificial intelligence.
What conclusion can be drawn from that? The Jeddah-Ottawa meeting could be seen as a path through which rising middle powers can shape a different world.
