CACMR Highlights Growing Canada–GCC Economic Partnership at Canada Investment Summit 2026

Toronto, Ontario | September 2026

The Canada Arab Congress on Middle East and North Africa Relations (CACMR) welcomes the significant momentum in Canada’s economic relations with the Middle East and North Africa following the inaugural Canada Investment Summit, held in Toronto on September 14–15, 2026.

Convened by Prime Minister Mark Carney in partnership with CPP Investments and PSP Investments, the Summit brought together leading institutional investors, sovereign investors, business leaders and public-sector representatives from nearly 30 countries, collectively managing more than $100 trillion in assets.

The Summit was focused on accelerating investment into Canada and supporting the government’s broader objective of catalyzing $1 trillion in total investment over five years.

The gathering resulted in nearly $500 billion in new investment commitments and negotiations, underscoring the scale of international and domestic capital being mobilized toward Canada’s strategic economic priorities.

For CACMR, the Summit was particularly significant because of the high-level participation and engagement from the Middle East and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, alongside an expanding series of meetings between GCC representatives and senior Canadian political, economic and investment leaders.

High-Level GCC Engagement

The United Arab Emirates had a significant presence at the Summit, led by H.E. Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of Foreign Trade, accompanied by a high-level delegation of investors, business leaders and representatives from the UAE’s public and private sectors.

Prime Minister Mark Carney received Minister Al Zeyoudi on the sidelines of the Summit, with discussions focused on strengthening Canada-UAE trade and investment relations and advancing opportunities across strategic sectors.

The engagement builds on growing momentum in Canada-UAE relations, including the Canada-UAE Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement and the recently concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

Minister Al Zeyoudi’s program in Toronto included extensive engagement with senior Canadian leaders.

He participated in a working luncheon hosted by the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, where the two ministers discussed expanding trade, investment and commercial collaboration between Canada and the UAE.

Minister Al Zeyoudi also met with the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Finance and National Revenue, as well as the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.

These discussions complemented meetings with provincial leaders including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, demonstrating that Canada-GCC economic engagement is increasingly taking place across both federal and provincial levels.

Qatar–Canada Ministerial Engagement

Qatar was also represented at the Summit at the ministerial level by H.E. Ali bin Ahmed Al Kuwari, Minister of Finance.

On the sidelines of the Summit, Minister Al Kuwari met with the Honourable Anita Anand, Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Their discussions focused on bilateral relations and opportunities to expand cooperation in investment, finance and the economy, reflecting the growing economic dimension of the Canada-Qatar relationship.

Minister Al Kuwari also engaged with major international financial leaders during the Summit, including BlackRock Chairman and CEO Larry Fink, further reinforcing the Summit’s role as a platform connecting GCC capital with Canadian and international investment opportunities.

Canadian Ministers Advancing the Investment Agenda

The Summit also featured extensive participation from Canada’s federal cabinet.

The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry, participated in the Summit’s investment programming focused on catalyzing private investment and strengthening Canada’s industrial capacity.

Minister Joly has emphasized the connection between investment and Canada’s ability to expand strategic industries, including defence and advanced manufacturing. In recent federal discussions on mobilizing institutional capital, she stated that engagement with pension funds and industry leaders is helping Canada “mobilize the investment needed to grow Canada’s defence industrial base.”

This approach closely aligns with the Summit’s broader emphasis on connecting global and Canadian capital with strategic projects and industries.

The Honourable David J. McGuinty, Minister of National Defence, has similarly been advancing Canada’s international economic and security partnerships, including significant recent engagement with GCC countries.

Minister McGuinty recently visited both the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, meeting UAE Minister of State for Defence Affairs H.E. Mohamed bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei and Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs H.E. Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Those discussions addressed defence cooperation, industrial partnerships, cyber cooperation, investment and opportunities for Canadian companies in the region.

Reflecting on his GCC engagement, Minister McGuinty stated that the visits provided opportunities to “strengthen Canada’s longstanding defence relationships in the region.”

Minister McGuinty has also connected Canada’s defence strategy directly with investment, emphasizing that a stronger Canadian defence industrial base requires access to capital, partnerships and international markets.

Taken together, these engagements demonstrate that Canada’s relationship with the GCC increasingly extends across investment, trade, technology, defence, infrastructure and industrial cooperation.

Stephen Harper and the Broader Canadian Investment Leadership

The Summit also brought together Canadian political leadership from across different periods of government.

Former Prime Minister the Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Canada’s 22nd Prime Minister and current Chair of the Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), played a prominent role in the Summit and delivered its closing address.

Mr. Harper also met directly with UAE Minister Al Zeyoudi during the UAE delegation’s visit, adding another important institutional investment dimension to the Canada-UAE dialogue.

His participation was particularly notable given AIMCo’s role as one of Canada’s major institutional investors and the Summit’s emphasis on mobilizing long-term capital toward strategic Canadian opportunities.

In his closing remarks, Mr. Harper addressed Canada’s changing global economic environment and the importance of greater economic diversification and reduced dependence on a single market.

His participation, alongside current federal ministers, provincial premiers, institutional investors and international representatives, illustrated the broad Canadian engagement behind efforts to attract greater global investment.

A Broader Canada–GCC Relationship

The GCC participation in Toronto should also be viewed as part of a much broader acceleration in Canada-Gulf relations.

In recent months, senior Canadian ministers have increasingly engaged directly with partners across the region.

Prime Minister Carney has previously highlighted visits to Saudi Arabia by senior Canadian ministers, including Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, AI and Digital Innovation Minister Evan Solomon, National Defence Minister David McGuinty, and Finance and National Revenue Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

Minister McGuinty has engaged defence counterparts in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar, while Ministers Sidhu, Champagne and Solomon have participated in expanding economic engagement with the UAE.

The Canada Investment Summit therefore represents more than a single event. It forms part of a developing network of relationships connecting Canadian governments, provinces, pension funds, businesses and institutional investors with their counterparts across the GCC.

From Dialogue to Investment

CACMR believes that this growing engagement represents an important evolution in relations between Canada and the Middle East and North Africa.

Canada offers significant capabilities and investment opportunities in areas including energy, critical minerals, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, defence and aerospace, agri-food and technology.

At the same time, GCC countries are undertaking ambitious economic diversification programs and are home to some of the world’s most significant sovereign and institutional investors.

The opportunity is therefore increasingly one of two-way partnership—connecting Canadian expertise, resources, innovation and projects with MENA investment capacity, markets and rapidly developing economies.

Abdullatif Al-Shaikh, Chair and President of CACMR, said:

“The Canada Investment Summit demonstrates how quickly Canada’s relationship with the Middle East and the Gulf is evolving. We are increasingly seeing diplomatic engagement translate into substantive discussions around investment, trade, technology and strategic economic cooperation.”

“What is particularly encouraging is the level of engagement taking place across government and business. GCC representatives are engaging directly with the Prime Minister, federal ministers, provincial premiers, former Canadian leaders and some of the country’s largest institutional investors.”

“This is precisely where CACMR sees an important opportunity. Our role is to continue strengthening the bridge between Canada and the MENA region and help ensure that these high-level relationships develop into meaningful, sustainable and mutually beneficial economic partnerships.”

CACMR welcomes the growing engagement between Canadian and MENA leaders and believes the momentum surrounding the Canada Investment Summit provides an important foundation for the next phase of Canada–MENA and Canada–GCC economic relations.

As these relationships continue to expand, CACMR remains committed to facilitating dialogue, strengthening institutional connections and promoting opportunities that bring together government, diplomatic, investment and business leaders from Canada and across the Middle East and North Africa.

— Canada Arab Congress on Middle East and North Africa Relations (CACMR)