A strong and resilient partnership between Türkiye and Canada is essential to addressing shared threats and seizing new opportunities amid mounting geopolitical uncertainty, growing humanitarian challenges and an increasingly complex global security environment, Türkiye's Directorate of Communications said Thursday.
The statement followed the launch of a strategic partnership between President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney during the latter's visit to Ankara, marking a new phase in bilateral relations built on 83 years of diplomatic ties.
The directorate said the partnership would fundamentally deepen cooperation between the two NATO allies, supporting shared objectives of expanding political dialogue, boosting economic growth and trade, advancing technological development and strengthening collective security.
The two countries, which reaffirmed their commitment to shared values including human rights, individual freedoms, democracy and the rule of law, agreed to pursue closer cooperation across a broad range of strategic sectors.
According to the statement, the partnership reflects a commitment to unlocking the full potential of bilateral relations by expanding trade and investment, strengthening cooperation on energy projects and natural resources, promoting defense and security collaboration and bringing governments and societies closer together.
To translate these commitments into concrete results, Erdoğan and Carney launched a three-year action plan structured around four pillars: trade, investment and innovation; energy and climate cooperation; defense and security; and government-to-government dialogue and people-to-people ties.
The leaders reaffirmed their intention to deepen cooperation in accordance with a previously signed declaration of intent on defense cooperation.
They also agreed to strengthen coordination in support of peace and security across the Euro-Atlantic region and beyond, with particular attention to Ukraine, the South Caucasus and the Middle East, including Gaza.
The statement welcomed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on defense sector partnerships between Türkiye's Presidency of Defense Industries (SSB) and Canada's Department of Foreign Affairs.
Building on the earlier declaration of intent, the memorandum is designed to facilitate the expansion of defense industry partnerships and support continued discussions on additional opportunities for cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The agreement represents another step toward closer collaboration between the defense sectors of the two NATO allies.
Beyond military and defense industry cooperation, Erdoğan and Carney emphasized the importance of launching dialogue to strengthen mutual legal assistance in criminal matters and cooperation on extradition.
The two countries also aim to institutionalize regular diplomatic engagement while strengthening connections between the people of Türkiye and Canada.
The leaders agreed to establish an annual Türkiye-Canada Strategic Dialogue to provide a platform for reviewing bilateral priorities and advancing cooperation.
They also committed to continuing annual meetings of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, alongside political-military consultations and counterterrorism consultations.
The two governments pledged to strengthen cooperation on consular affairs and migration while exploring measures that could facilitate travel and mobility between their countries.
The statement also highlighted plans to encourage cultural exchanges and closer engagement between Turkish and Canadian diaspora communities, reflecting a broader effort to strengthen relations beyond government institutions.
Erdoğan and Carney agreed that their foreign ministers would oversee implementation of the three-year action plan, ensuring that commitments made under the strategic partnership translate into practical cooperation.
According to the directorate, the roadmap is intended to deepen bilateral relations, promote international security and support the development of prosperous and environmentally sustainable economies.
The leaders emphasized that stronger cooperation would help both countries respond more effectively to shared challenges while creating new opportunities for businesses, investors and citizens.
Carney thanked the Turkish government for its hospitality during what the statement described as the first visit to Türkiye by a Canadian head of government.
Türkiye also welcomed an invitation for Erdoğan to visit Canada at a mutually convenient date, signaling the two governments' intention to maintain high-level engagement as they work to implement their new strategic partnership.
The directorate stressed that the partnership comes at a time when greater international cooperation is increasingly important in confronting security threats, economic uncertainty and humanitarian challenges.
By strengthening their political, economic and security ties, Türkiye and Canada aim to establish a more resilient relationship capable of addressing common challenges while taking advantage of emerging opportunities in an evolving global landscape.