Canada seeks stronger trade ties with Turkey during Mark Carney visit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on 22 October. According to Reuters, this is the first bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian leader and part of Ottawa's efforts to diversify its trading partnerships.

The two leaders are expected to sign a declaration on closer cooperation, including in defence and energy. The signing remains an expectation rather than a confirmed outcome of the meeting.

Trade with Turkey accounts for less than 0.3% of Canada's total trade, but bilateral commerce has grown by nearly 50% over the past five years, Reuters reports. Nearly 70% of Canadian exports still go to the United States.

The visit forms part of Canada's effort to reduce its dependence on the US market amid trade tensions. Ankara is seeking investment in the defence industry, energy projects and raw materials extraction. The two countries began talks on a free trade agreement in July.

Sources: Reuters.

Illustrative photograph, not from the reported visit or meeting: Felix Munyika / Unsplash. Used under the Unsplash licence.