OTTAWA, Canada / AsiaWire.IO / – Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, attended an official dinner banquet hosted by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during his official visit to Canada. The banquet was held in honour of Sheikh Khaled and the accompanying UAE delegation. Carney welcomed the Crown Prince and said he expected the visit to further enhance friendship and cooperation between Canada and the UAE. Members of the UAE delegation and several Canadian ministers and senior officials attended.
Sheikh Khaled thanked Carney for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to him and the delegation. He said he looked forward to strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries. During the dinner, both sides held cordial conversations reviewing UAE-Canada relations. They discussed ways to raise ties to new levels of cooperation across various sectors, along with several issues of mutual interest.
The Crown Prince began his official visit to Canada on October 26, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office. The visit aims to advance the strategic partnership between the two countries and expand cooperation in priority sectors. The office said relations between the UAE and Canada span more than five decades. On the sidelines of the visit, Sheikh Khaled also met Emirati students in Canada.
Trade deal concluded in record time
The visit follows the conclusion of negotiations on a UAE-Canada Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in July. UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and Canadian Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu announced the outcome. The talks were the fastest in the UAE’s CEPA programme and the fastest negotiation Canada has ever completed. Once ratified, the agreement is set to cut tariffs and expand market access.
Bilateral trade reached about $4.2 billion in 2025, up 21% from the previous year. Aerospace, agri-food and seafood are among the key sectors expected to benefit from the deal. The CEPA will complement an investment promotion and protection agreement signed during Carney’s visit to Abu Dhabi in November 2025. That agreement was signed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and by Carney.
Visit follows trip to Greece
The Canada trip came days after Sheikh Khaled’s official visit to Greece, where he held talks in Athens. Earlier this year, the UAE also concluded CEPA negotiations with Japan as it continued to expand its network of trade agreements. More than 150 Canadian companies operate in the UAE, according to the Canadian Prime Minister’s Office. In 2024, Canadian exports to the UAE were worth $2.6 billion.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office later reported that Sheikh Khaled had concluded his official visit to Canada. The trip came as both countries prepare to ratify and implement the CEPA concluded in July. Trade and investment ties between the two countries have expanded over the past year. Leaders on both sides have described the relationship as a strategic partnership with room to grow across priority sectors.