Skip to content Skip to Search
Skip navigation

Canada and Saudi Arabia restore diplomatic relations

By Gavin Gibbon
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau Canada to resume diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia Reuters/Anusak Laowilas
Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pictured at the Apec Summit last November, held talks on the sidelines with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
  • Canada- Saudi trade was worth $4.6bn in 2021
  • Resumption of relations may herald future free trade agreement
  • Kingdom was Canada‘s biggest Gulf export market in 2021

Canada and Saudi Arabia have brought an end to a five-year dispute by resuming diplomatic relations.

They will now appoint new ambassadors and renew diplomatic talks.

A statement from both countries said that the decision was reached “on the basis of mutual respect and common interests”. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had held discussions during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok last November.

Saudi Arabia expelled Canada’s ambassador in 2018 and banned any new trade from taking place over Ottawa’s criticism of its human rights record.

Latest figures from the Canadian government from 2021 show Saudi Arabia was the biggest export market for Canada in the region, worth $2.2 billion. 81 percent of exports was transportation equipment.

Canadian imports were $2.4 billion and made up almost entirely of oil and petrochemicals.

Canada has appointed Jean-Philippe Linteau as its new ambassador in Riyadh. The Saudi appointment is to be confirmed.

Within the region Canada has free trade agreements with Israel and Jordan and four Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements with Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Lebanon.

Negotiations for such agreements have also been concluded but are yet to come into force with the UAE and Bahrain.

Last month Dubai-based airline Emirates expanded the frequency of flights between the UAE and Toronto, following a deal to expand air service between the two countries.

The expanded agreement allocates 21 flights per week for each country, which is 50 percent more than what was previously available.

Latest articles

Etihad Airways CEO Antonoaldo Neves (centre) said that he is 'big believer in fleet flexibility' and does not like to lock in big orders

Etihad weighs options to buy directly from planemakers  

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways is exploring the option of buying a limited number of new aircraft directly from Airbus and Boeing, utilising the available delivery slots that have been canceled or rescheduled by other airlines. However, the state-backed airline’s CEO Antonoaldo Neves has no plans to place a “large order”, Reuters reported. “I’m a big believer […]

Adnoc said it had 'no interest in continuing the process' to buy a controlling stake in Brazil's Braskem

Adnoc ends talks to buy stake in Brazilian petchem producer 

Abu Dhabi state-owned energy company Adnoc has ended talks to buy a controlling stake in Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem. “Adnoc International Limited has no interest in continuing the process of analysis and negotiations with Novonor on the potential transaction,” the São Paulo-listed company said in a bourse filing on Monday. Following the disclosure, Braskem shares dropped […]

An artist's impression of the surf lagoon being built at Aquarabia in Qiddiya, Saudi Arabia

Largest water park in Middle East to open in Qiddiya next year

The largest water theme park in the Middle East is on target to open in the city of Qiddiya next year, its developer has announced. Aquarabia, the first water park in Saudi Arabia, will have four record holders among its 22 rides, including the world’s tallest “water coaster” and tallest water slide. It will also […]

Binance CEO Richard Teng told AGBI the company spent $213m on compliance measures in 2023

Binance clamps down on suspicious UAE crypto trades

Binance has blocked hundreds of thousands of suspicious cryptocurrency transactions in the UAE as it ramps up compliance efforts, senior executives have told AGBI. The business, which is the world’s largest crypto exchange, received nearly 60,000 law enforcement requests from governments around the world in 2023 after heightened regulatory scrutiny. Meera Judge, the Dubai-based director […]