January 13, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

In advance of the visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, concluded the first leg of his visit to the Gulf region with a stop in Qatar, on January 8, 2026, alongside a Canadian senior-level business delegation.

Minister Sidhu met with the Qatar Investment Authority to discuss investing in Canada and exploring opportunities in Canadian major projects. He joined Minister Al Sayed to cohost a Canada-Qatar trade and investment round table and participated in a networking reception attended by representatives of Qatari and Canadian businesses.

Minister Sidhu had a productive meeting with Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs, to discuss the current negotiations toward a Canada-Qatar foreign investment promotion and protection agreement and future Canada-Qatar trade opportunities. Minister Sidhu and Minister Al Sayed agreed to launch a Canada-Qatar business council. To that end, Minister Al Sayed agreed to visit Canada with a business delegation this year. 

To highlight the Government of Canada’s commitment to strengthening Canada’s advanced manufacturing and aerospace sector and expanding leadership in training and simulation technologies, the minister toured the CAE military simulator training centre. The visit reinforced Canada’s position as a reliable partner in Qatar’s defence modernization initiatives and readiness to pursue future opportunities that deepen mutual cooperation.

While in Doha, Minister Sidhu also engaged with Qatari business leaders from the public and private sectors, including Qatar Airways Group, as well as senior representatives of the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Qatari Businessmen Association and Qatari Businesswomen Association.

Minister Sidhu and the Canadian business delegation, which included companies from the infrastructure, aerospace and advanced manufacturing, professional services, information and communications technology and artificial intelligence, and financial and insurance services sectors, advanced new avenues for trade and investment for companies and industries in Canada and Qatar. Visits like these position Canadian companies to compete more effectively in a rapidly expanding Gulf region at a time when Canada is aiming to double its non-U.S. exports over the next decade.