Carney visits Saudi Arabia to expand energy and mining ties
Canada’s prime minister met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Ottawa seeks new trade partners and deeper links in energy, mining and AI.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
3 min read
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Saudi Arabia on Thursday in a push to widen Canada’s energy, mining and technology ties beyond its traditional markets. Al Jazeera reported that the trip was the first Canadian state visit to the kingdom in more than 25 years.
Carney met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman after attending the NATO summit in Turkiye, according to Al Jazeera. The visit came as Carney has called for Canada to broaden its trade relationships while tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump have hurt the Canadian economy, Al Jazeera reported.
Canada and Saudi Arabia signed 13 agreements and memorandums of understanding worth $1bn, according to Al Jazeera. The arrangements cover sectors including mining, energy, artificial intelligence, health and defence.
Carney’s office said agreements tied to mining, energy and AI are expected to be finalised next year, according to Al Jazeera. Some of the deals are aimed at helping Canadian companies take part in mining and clean energy projects in Saudi Arabia.
The prime minister also met Amin Nasser, the head of Saudi Aramco, the kingdom’s state oil company, Al Jazeera reported. Carney’s office said the two countries are working on agreements involving liquefied natural gas, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage.
Carney’s office also said he planned to lead a group of Canadian pension funds as part of efforts to invest in Saudi Arabia’s energy and AI sectors, according to Al Jazeera. The report did not identify the pension funds or specify the size of any potential investments.
The trip marked another step in a diplomatic reset between Ottawa and Riyadh after years of strained relations under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Al Jazeera reported that Trudeau had criticised Saudi Arabia’s treatment of human rights activists, including Saudi writer Raif Badawi and his sister, Samar Badawi.
Saudi Arabia expelled Canada’s ambassador and cut trade and investment ties in 2018 after that criticism, according to Al Jazeera. The two countries began restoring diplomatic relations in 2023.
Asked by reporters about renewing engagement with Saudi Arabia, Carney said dealing with another country did not mean Canada accepted all of its conduct.
“Engaging with the country doesn’t mean that we agree with everything that a country is doing,” Carney said, according to Al Jazeera. “We are actively engaging with key partners around the world.”
Carney added: “Lecturing countries from afar is an ineffective strategy. It’s satisfying, but it’s ineffective.”
Reporters also asked Carney about negotiations with the United States and whether there had been progress in trade talks with Trump amid tensions over the North American Free Trade Agreement, Al Jazeera reported. “I’ll keep you posted,” Carney said.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.