Abu Dhabi Crown Prince's Ottawa visit: what's in it for Canadians

The visit landing in Ottawa next week will shape more than a diplomatic calendar. For Canadians who trade, invest, work abroad, or simply want a more stable economy at a time of global uncertainty, the arrival of the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi carries real everyday weight: more trade, new investment, and the promise of greater security and prosperity for people in both countries.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced today that His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, will visit Ottawa from October 26 to 27, 2026. In a rapidly changing world, Carney has framed Canada’s approach around what the country can control: building strength at home and diversifying partnerships abroad. The relationship with the United Arab Emirates has already been transformed, securing landmark agreements that catalyse major new investment and expand opportunities for both countries.

The pace of that transformation has been striking. Earlier this year, Canada and the UAE negotiated a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement in a record 47 days, the fastest such negotiation in either country’s history, concluding talks in July 2026. That followed the Canada-UAE Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, which entered into force in May and gives greater predictability to Canadian and Emirati investors. In November 2025, Carney travelled to the UAE, where he joined His Highness Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to sign the FIPA, launch CEPA negotiations, and announce a landmark $70 billion investment commitment from the UAE to Canada.

Building on those foundations, the leaders plan to expand the partnership into new strategic areas: defence and security, energy, critical minerals, infrastructure, international development, space and advanced communications technologies, and quantum and artificial intelligence. Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu underscored what that means for working Canadians. “Across energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and agri-food, our partnership with the UAE will unlock new opportunities for Canadian businesses and create more good-paying jobs here at home,” he said, calling the UAE’s $70 billion commitment “a strong vote of confidence in our economy.”

The partnership rests on a long foundation. Canada and the UAE have enjoyed a strong and broad relationship for over 50 years, focused on building prosperity through economic cooperation, strengthening regional security, and advancing economic development in third countries. The scale of the existing exchange is considerable. In 2025, two-way merchandise trade between the countries was valued at $3.5 billion, with $2.8 billion in Canadian exports and $679.1 million in imports, and Canadian merchandise exports to the UAE grew by over 10 percent that year. More than 150 Canadian companies operate in the UAE, and an estimated 60,000 Canadians live and work there.

The government’s full announcement is available at https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/news-releases/2026/10/25/prime-minister-carney-welcome-crown-prince-abu-dhabi-strengthen.

The framing from Ottawa is one of shared purpose. “Canada and the United Arab Emirates have enormous potential to deepen our economic and security ties,” Carney said. “Building on the progress we have made over the past year, we will turn that potential into concrete results: more trade, new investment, and greater certainty, security, and prosperity for both our peoples.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand described the moment as a new chapter. “Canada and the United Arab Emirates are entering a new chapter in our partnership, one that advances shared prosperity and strengthens our capacity to address regional and global challenges,” she said. “We are building closer economic, diplomatic, and security ties to create opportunities for our peoples and support international peace and stability.”

At a time of profound global transformation, the message from both capitals is that deepening this partnership serves a common aim: greater economic strength, shared security, and long-term prosperity for people in both countries. Whether next week’s visit in Ottawa turns those commitments into further results for ordinary Canadians is the question the coming months will answer.