Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in Ankara on Thursday for a two-day official visit, and was welcomed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with an official ceremony, Habertürk reported.
The visit, which runs on 22-23 October at Erdoğan’s invitation, is being described in both countries as historic. According to CNBC-e, citing Reuters, it is the first direct bilateral visit to Türkiye by a Canadian prime minister.
Agreements and a strategic partnership
Presidential Communications Director Burhanettin Duran said the leaders would review cooperation in all areas, discuss regional and global issues and look at ways to develop bilateral relations further. Several cooperation agreements are due to be signed, he said, according to the state news agency Anadolu. Ties are expected to be raised to the level of a strategic partnership.
Ahead of the trip, CNBC-e reported that the talks in Ankara were expected to cover energy, mining, climate, defence and security. Canada’s priority sectors include aerospace and space, advanced technology, mining and critical minerals. Carney is also due to meet leading Turkish business people and investors in Istanbul to promote trade and investment opportunities in Canada.
Ottawa looks beyond the US
The visit is part of a wider push by Ottawa to diversify trade. According to the CNBC-e report, Canada’s trade talks with the United States broke down in August, after which the Carney government set a goal of doubling Canada’s trade outside the US within ten years. Carney and Erdoğan met at the NATO summit in July and took steps towards formally starting free trade agreement negotiations. Türkiye has also agreed to join the Defence, Security and Resilience Bank backed by Carney as part of his "middle powers" strategy, the report said.
A closer relationship could open doors for Turkish exporters, whose sales abroad hit a September record of 26 billion dollars, and for manufacturers adapting to new trade rules in Europe such as the EU’s Industrial Accelerator Act.
Details of the agreements are expected after the leaders’ meeting. Canadians thinking of relocating can read our moving to Turkey checklist.
Sources
- Son dakika: Kanada Başbakanı Carney Ankara’da (Habertürk)
- Kanada Başbakanı Carney Türkiye’ye gelecek (Anadolu Ajansı)
- Tarihte ilk kez olacak: Kanada’dan Türkiye’ye tarihi ziyaret (CNBC-e)
Photo: Thomas George / Unsplash License, via Unsplash
