Saudi Crown Prince, Canadian PM discuss regional developments, expanding ties

JEDDAH — Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman held official talks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Jeddah on Thursday, reviewing bilateral relations and discussing regional and international developments.The Crown Prince welcomed Carney at Al-Salam Palace, where an official reception ceremony was held before the two leaders held formal talks.They reviewed Saudi-Canadian relations and discussed opportunities to expand cooperation across various sectors, as well as regional and international developments and ongoing efforts to address them.Ahead of the visit, the Canadian Prime Minister's Office said the talks would focus on strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy, critical minerals, investment, infrastructure, advanced technologies and defense.The two leaders also discussed developments in the Middle East, maritime security and other issues of mutual interest, while exploring ways to strengthen political coordination between the two countries.Carney's visit marks the first official visit to Saudi Arabia by a sitting Canadian prime minister in 26 years and reflects the growing momentum in bilateral relations.Economic ties between the two countries have continued to expand, supported by initiatives aimed at strengthening cooperation between the business communities.In 2024, the Federation of Saudi Chambers reconstituted the Saudi-Canadian Business Council and opened an office in Toronto to facilitate business engagement and investment.Riyadh also hosted the Saudi-Canadian Business and Investment Forum in January 2026, where six memoranda of understanding worth nearly $600 million were signed in the telecommunications, information technology, cybersecurity, education and manufacturing sectors.Trade between Saudi Arabia and Canada reached approximately $2.9 billion in 2025, including $1.719 billion in Saudi exports and $1.19 billion in Canadian exports to the Kingdom.Saudi Vision 2030 continues to create opportunities for deeper cooperation in artificial intelligence, clean technology, mining and energy. Around 767 Canadian companies currently operate regional offices or headquarters in the Kingdom.Educational cooperation has also expanded, with nearly 1,984 Saudi physicians graduating from or studying in Canada between 2020 and 2025. The number of graduates rose from 170 in 2020 to 606 in 2025, an increase of 256%.