Top Canadian diplomat to visit Türkiye for talks with Turkish foreign minister

ISTANBUL

Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand will visit Ankara on Tuesday and is expected to meet with Türkiye's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources on Monday.

During the meeting, Fidan is expected to emphasize the importance attached to deepening bilateral relations between Türkiye and Canada as NATO allies, and underline that increasing mutual high-level contacts and visits would be beneficial in this regard.

He is also expected to stress that the current $2.7 billion bilateral trade volume does not reflect the real potential of commercial cooperation between the two countries, while expanding partnerships in the defense industry, as with the HURKUS aircraft, would contribute to strengthening both military and commercial ties.

Cooperation in renewable energy, including nuclear energy, which is likely to add a new long-term dimension to Türkiye-Canada relations, as well as joint efforts in the fields of security and counterterrorism, are expected to be noted by the Turkish foreign minister.

The recent developments in the Middle East and the global repercussions of the Iran war, particularly the required joint action of the international community to stop the conflicts as soon as possible and urge a return to the negotiating table, are among the issues that Fidan is expected to address.

Also, Fidan and Anand are expected to exchange views on regional and global issues, particularly the situation in Gaza, the Palestinian issue, the Russia-Ukraine war, and developments in Syria.

Fidan and Anand last met on the sidelines of the NATO Foreign Ministers Meeting on Dec. 3, 2025, and also held a phone call on March 4.

Bilateral relations

Relations between Türkiye and Canada have gained momentum in recent years, with increasing number of high-level contacts.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in New York and Johannesburg in 2025.

Fidan visited Canada on Dec. 9, 2023, under the Gaza Contact Group. Former Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly also paid a visit to Türkiye on May 15-16, 2024, while Türkiye-Canada Counterterrorism Consultations were held in Ankara on Nov. 26, 2025.

The second meeting of the Türkiye-Canada Joint Economic and Trade Committee was held in Ottawa on Jan. 20 this year.

Canada-based AtkinsRealis and Türkiye Nuclear Energy Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding on March 3 to deepen the cooperation in the field of nuclear energy.

In 2025, the total bilateral trade volume reached approximately $2.7 billion, with Türkiye’s exports at $1.57 billion and imports at $1.16 billion.

Canadian investments in Türkiye amount to $608 million, while Turkish investments in Canada stand at $253 million.

The number of registered Turkish citizens living in Canada is around 65,000.