
September 18, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada
Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met with Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, to discuss deepening the bilateral relationship and the importance of cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The ministers signed a joint statement on the Canada- Singapore Economic Partnership Framework, which reflects a shared commitment to strengthening economic diversification and resilience, supporting open and rules-based trade and deepening cooperation. This includes investment, emerging technologies, energy and food security, resilient supply chains and increasing public service cooperation.
The ministers also discussed regional and global developments, including opportunities to strengthen cooperation on defence and security issues, and reaffirmed the importance of a stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
Looking ahead to Singapore’s Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chairmanship in 2027, the ministers discussed opportunities to further strengthen cooperation in key sectors including digital, energy and agri-food. They highlighted the strong progress toward an ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement.
Minister Anand and Minister Balakrishnan agreed to advance the bilateral partnership, as ASEAN and Canada celebrate the 50th anniversary of relations in 2027.









