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H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, joined Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Ottawa on October 28, 2026, to witness the formal signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement between the UAE and Canada. According to the Emirates News Agency, Sheikh Khaled noted that the agreement demonstrates the strength of bilateral relations and a shared commitment to advancing them further through enhanced commercial cooperation. The Crown Prince affirmed that the UAE will continue working with Canada to establish a long-term economic partnership facilitating trade, investment and private-sector innovation in both countries. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade, signed the pact on behalf of the UAE while Canada’s Minister of International Trade, the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, signed for Canada in the presence of senior officials and business leaders from both sides.
The Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, whose negotiations concluded in a record 47 days on July 24, 2026, liberalises trade covering approximately 99 percent of the value of existing bilateral commerce and 97 percent of all tariff lines, a WAM assessment found. It provides a framework to reduce barriers, eliminate bureaucratic hurdles and expand market access while supporting collaboration in strategic sectors such as transportation, logistics, advanced manufacturing, critical minerals, agriculture, life sciences, energy and digital technologies. Sheikh Khaled emphasised the pact’s role in supporting mutual trade, strengthening investment flows and opening new avenues for cooperation that diversify economic opportunities and enhance competitiveness. The agreement marks the first CEPA the UAE has signed with a G7 nation.
Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said in statements to the Emirates News Agency that the CEPA is projected to add approximately $8.7 billion to the UAE’s gross domestic product and increase exports to Canada by around $11.8 billion by 2033. The minister highlighted that non-oil bilateral trade reached roughly $4.2 billion last year, reflecting growth of more than 22 percent, while trade expanded by 18 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier. He noted that the deal will particularly benefit UAE exports including iron, aluminium, metals, gold, electronics, pharmaceuticals and food products. Canadian data cited by WAM places the UAE as Canada’s top export market in the Middle East, with two-way merchandise trade valued at $3.5 billion in 2025.
Negotiations for the agreement were launched during Prime Minister Carney’s visit to the UAE in November 2025, building on an investment framework valued at up to $50 billion that was announced at that time, according to joint statements released by the Emirates News Agency. The framework has already translated into active trade and investment negotiations worth $15 billion between Emirati and Canadian companies in sectors including mining, logistics, energy and sovereign wealth funds. WAM figures show Canada ranks as the UAE’s third-largest trading partner in the Americas while the UAE is Canada’s largest Arab trading partner overall. The CEPA is expected to enter into force in 2027 following ratification procedures in both countries.
The signing ceremony formed part of Sheikh Khaled’s official visit to Canada, during which the two sides also concluded additional agreements and memorandums of understanding covering defence, renewable energy and diplomatic training, the Emirates News Agency reported. These pacts complement the CEPA by targeting shared priorities that support sustainable growth and supply-chain resilience. Officials from both governments underscored the importance of open, predictable and rules-based trade as a foundation for long-term collaboration between the private sectors. The Crown Prince concluded the visit by expressing appreciation for Canada’s hospitality and conveying best wishes for continued prosperity in the bilateral relationship.
Separate announcements tied to the visit indicated that the CEPA will help Canadian businesses use the UAE as a regional hub while encouraging further Emirati investment in Canadian projects aligned with economic diversification goals. Industry projections incorporated in WAM coverage point to sustained annual trade growth building on the 10 percent rise in Canadian exports to the UAE observed in 2025. The pact reinforces an investment protection agreement already in force and sets the stage for expanded cooperation in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, clean energy and agri-food technology.
