October 7, 2026 – Ottawa, Ontario – Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, today announced that she will travel to Reykjavík, Iceland, from October 8 to 9, 2026, to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly, as well as advance cooperation with regional partners on Arctic security and prosperity and strengthen bilateral ties with Iceland.

At the Arctic Circle Assembly, the largest annual international gathering on Arctic issues, Minister Anand will deliver keynote remarks on Canada’s leadership in the Arctic, highlighting Canada’s implementation of its Arctic Foreign Policy, its meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples and Northerners and its investments in Arctic security and defence. She will also participate in a panel discussion marking the Arctic Council’s 30th anniversary, where she will underscore the council’s importance as the leading forum for cooperation among Arctic states and Indigenous Peoples, as well as its value to Canada and the broader Arctic community.

While at the Arctic Circle Assembly, Minister Anand will engage with her counterparts and Canadian Indigenous and Northern youth on strengthening Arctic cooperation across the region, and she will visit the Keflavík Airbase.

Minister Anand will also meet with Kristrún Frostadóttir, Iceland’s Prime Minister, and Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, to strengthen bilateral relations and discuss Arctic security, trade and economic opportunities and shared foreign policy priorities.