Ankara:Türkiye and Canada have announced a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing cooperation in trade, defense, and energy sectors. This development was revealed during a joint news conference held by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ankara. The two nations have committed to deepening their defense industry ties through a newly signed partnership agreement and exploring further collaborative opportunities.
According to Anadolu Agency – English, the strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in the bilateral relations between Türkiye and Canada. Leaders from both countries have agreed to initiate free trade talks, with an ambitious target to elevate their bilateral trade from the current $3 billion to $10 billion. The partnership also involves the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defense industry partnerships, emphasizing the importance of defense cooperation highlighted during the recent NATO summit in Ankara.
The strategic partnership aims to develop new projects across various sectors, including defense, energy, trade, and transportation. The leaders stressed the importance of elevating relations to a strategic level and adopted an action plan to implement concrete projects. Cooperation in the energy sector, particularly in nuclear energy, LNG, and critical minerals, was also discussed, with a joint declaration on energy cooperation being adopted by the countries' energy ministries.
Additionally, both leaders expressed their intention to engage in joint investments in third countries and signed an updated air transport agreement to increase direct flights between Türkiye and Canada. The announcement of a memorandum of understanding between Turkish Eximbank and Export Development Canada further underscores their commitment to collaborative projects.
The discussions between Erdogan and Carney also covered regional and global issues, including the situations in Gaza, Ukraine, and the Gulf region. They reaffirmed their shared position on the importance of diplomatic solutions and welcomed Canada's sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements, which Erdogan described as appropriate steps to deter violations.