In a significant move to bolster trade and security ties, Türkiye and Canada have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing their cooperation across various sectors. This agreement was unveiled during the Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Ankara, underscoring a new chapter in the 83-year diplomatic relationship between the two NATO allies.
The partnership is anchored on a three-year action plan focusing on four principal areas: trade, investment and innovation; energy and climate cooperation; defence and security; and government dialogue and people-to-people relations. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Carney emphasized the importance of strengthening economic connections, encouraging investment, advancing energy projects, and fostering collaboration in natural resources and emerging technologies.
Defence cooperation is a central pillar of the agreement. Türkiye’s Presidency of Defence Industries and Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs signed a memorandum of understanding to facilitate partnerships between their respective defence industries and explore further areas of collaboration. Both leaders pledged to coordinate their efforts to enhance peace and security in regions such as the Euro-Atlantic, Ukraine, the South Caucasus, and the Middle East, with a particular focus on Gaza.
The countries agreed to maintain regular engagement through an annual Türkiye-Canada Strategic Dialogue and ongoing meetings of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee. These will be complemented by political-military and counterterrorism consultations. The partnership also aims to improve cooperation in consular affairs, migration, mutual legal assistance, and extradition, while promoting cultural exchanges and strengthening connections between citizens and diaspora communities.
Overseeing the implementation of this comprehensive roadmap will be the foreign ministers of both countries, tasked with ensuring that the commitments translate into practical results. This strategic partnership reflects Türkiye and Canada’s shared objectives of deepening economic and security alliances, tackling common international challenges, and creating new opportunities for businesses, investors, and citizens.