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A Reuters report detailed how Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney used his landmark trip to Saudi Arabia to advocate for closer mining and energy links between the two countries. Carney informed a televised business forum that the kingdom could support the development of Canadian mining enterprises while he held discussions with Amin Nasser, the chief executive of Saudi Aramco, on ways to broaden bilateral energy collaboration, the dispatch added. The prime minister met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during the visit as he sought to bolster trade and investment following years of strained diplomacy, according to Global News.
The visit marks the first by a Canadian prime minister to the Gulf state in 26 years. Canada and Saudi Arabia restored full diplomatic relations in 2023 after a dispute in 2018 concerning human rights issues disrupted ties and commerce, a Reuters assessment found. Carney has undertaken multiple international trips over the past year to expand trade opportunities as U.S. tariffs affect key Canadian exports, the report noted.
Trade between the two nations approached $2.93 billion in 2025, Arab News reported. The Observatory of Economic Complexity data places Saudi exports to Canada at SAR 496 million in April 2026. Such figures underscore the potential for growth in sectors like mining and energy that Carney targeted during the visit, according to multiple outlets covering the trip.
Carney commended Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 economic diversification plan and noted similarities with Canada’s own strategies, CTV News reported. The discussions also touched on artificial intelligence alongside the core mining and energy themes, an Al Jazeera summary of the engagements indicated. A Mining.com article stated that the countries signed deals worth more than C$1 billion as part of the push for partnership.
Carney acknowledged differences in values but emphasized a pragmatic approach to relations, various outlets noted in their coverage. Financial Post coverage revealed Saudi interest in Canadian assets in energy, mining and infrastructure with the Public Investment Fund accepting an invitation to Toronto. Such developments reflect the momentum in ties since the 2023 normalization, according to official Canadian government reports.
