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The Prime Minister’s Office announced on June 30 that Mark Carney would travel to Saudi Arabia from July 8 to 10 following his participation in the NATO summit in Turkey. During the visit Carney is scheduled to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to advance cooperation across energy, critical minerals, defence, infrastructure and investment while expanding trade and two-way investment flows. The discussions will target priority sectors that include mining, artificial intelligence, cleantech, agriculture, tourism, infrastructure and life sciences the release from the Prime Minister’s Office stated. This prime ministerial engagement builds directly on ministerial visits to the kingdom throughout the preceding months.
Global Affairs Canada data places bilateral merchandise trade at approximately 3.5 billion dollars in 2025 with Saudi Arabia serving as Canada’s second-largest trading partner in the Gulf region. Canadian exports reached 1.3 billion dollars that year led by motor vehicles and parts, industrial machinery, pharmaceuticals as well as scientific and precision instruments while energy products accounted for more than 90 percent of the 2.2 billion dollars in imports from the kingdom. The Observatory of Economic Complexity reported that Canadian exports to Saudi Arabia stood at 57.9 million dollars in April 2026 marking an 11.4 percent increase from the prior year. These figures underscore the foundation for the enhanced economic collaboration that Carney’s meetings aim to accelerate.
Upon arrival at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah Carney was received by Prince Saud bin Mishaal the deputy emir of the Makkah Region along with Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan Saudi Ambassador to Canada Amal Al-Mualimi and Canadian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Jean-Philippe Linteau. The reception reflected the protocol extended for the occasion as detailed in statements aligned with both Canadian and Saudi authorities. The visit represents the first by a sitting Canadian prime minister to the kingdom in 26 years the Prime Minister’s Office noted in its June 30 release.
The bilateral trip follows the gradual restoration of ties after a diplomatic dispute in 2018 and comes as Canada pursues a broader strategy of new partnerships to bolster economic and defence resilience. In the preceding year Canadian ministers responsible for foreign affairs, international trade, artificial intelligence and energy had visited Saudi Arabia laying preparatory groundwork for this higher-level discussion according to the Prime Minister’s Office. Carney’s engagement with the Crown Prince marks their first in-person meeting and is positioned to translate those earlier exchanges into tangible progress on shared priorities.
The Prime Minister’s Office emphasised that the visit aligns with Canada’s recent achievements in meeting NATO defence expenditure targets and launching initiatives such as the Defence Investment Agency to support industrial capacity in priority sectors. Saudi Arabia’s role as a key player in global energy and investment markets makes the partnership particularly relevant for diversifying supply chains and advancing cooperation in emerging technologies. Additional data from International Trade Canada assessments highlight opportunities in critical minerals and clean technology as areas where bilateral ties could yield significant mutual benefits in the years ahead.
