Türkiye and Canada become strategic partners: Erdoğan and Carney sign agreements in Ankara

Türkiye and Canada have raised their relations to the level of a strategic partnership. The decision came out of talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at the Presidential Complex in Ankara on 22 October. Carney was welcomed with an official ceremony, and the leaders met one-on-one before talks between the delegations.

A set of documents was then signed: an action plan of concrete steps, a memorandum of understanding on defence sector partnerships, an updated Air Transport Agreement and a joint declaration on energy cooperation between the two energy ministries. The new air agreement will roughly double the number of direct flights.

The two sides agreed to open free trade agreement negotiations before the end of the year. They aim to lift trade, currently around 3 billion dollars, first to 5 billion and then to 10 billion. The next meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee will be held in Türkiye in 2027 with private-sector participation.

Energy cooperation spans mining, LNG, critical minerals and nuclear power. A memorandum between Türk Eximbank and Export Development Canada on joint projects in third countries is also planned. Erdoğan called the visit a “historic step” for the future of the relationship.