Canada Arab Congress Leads Ottawa-Gulf Economic Dialogue

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published May 4, 2026

Latest news on WhatsApp أجدد الأخبار على واتساب

The Canada Arab Congress on Middle East and North Africa Relations has played a central role in convening a high-level economic and diplomatic meeting in Ottawa, bringing together Canada’s Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, Gulf ambassadors and senior Canadian leaders in investment and business.

The meeting took place on April 27, 2026, at the minister’s office in Ottawa. It was organized and facilitated by Abdullatif Al-Shaikh, President and Chair of the Canada Arab Congress on Middle East and North Africa Relations, and attended by Dr. Mohammed Al-Anbaki, the congress’s Vice President of Operations.

The discussion focused on strengthening industrial cooperation and foreign direct investment between Canada and the Gulf region at a time of shifting global economic and geopolitical conditions. Participants also explored opportunities in innovation, infrastructure, energy transition, advanced manufacturing, technology exchange and joint investment partnerships.

Joly told participants that Canada is open for business, stressing the importance of deepening industrial partnerships and foreign direct investment with partners from the Arab Gulf region in a changing international environment.

The meeting included Abdulrahman Ali Almur Ali Alneyadi, Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Canada; Amal Yahya Almoalimi, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Canada; Tariq Ali Faraj Al-Ansari, Ambassador of Qatar to Canada; Jamal Abdullah Yahya Al-Sallal, Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Yemen; Senator Mohammad Al Zaibak; Karl Tabbakh, Chair of Invest in Canada; and leaders from Canadian Arab and Gulf business councils.

For Tawasul News, the wider significance of the meeting lies in the role of the Canada Arab Congress itself. The organization is emerging as an Arab Canadian platform capable of facilitating direct dialogue between the Canadian government, diplomatic missions and business leaders. The meeting reflects not only a shared interest in expanding Canada-Gulf economic cooperation, but also the importance of Arab Canadian institutions working through formal and organized channels to build practical partnerships in investment, industry, technology and energy.

Participants also expressed interest in Canada’s evolving investment landscape and in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s recent announcement of a Canadian sovereign wealth fund, viewing it as a potential tool for new bilateral and multilateral investment partnerships.

Al-Shaikh thanked Joly for hosting the meeting and said the engagement marks the beginning of a series of high-level dialogues with Gulf Cooperation Council ambassadors, with plans to expand future participation to include additional ambassadors from the Middle East and North Africa region.

The meeting reflects the congress’s mission to build practical bridges between Canada and the Arab world through dialogue that connects diplomacy with economic opportunity. It also opens the door to wider cooperation in investment, industry, clean energy and technology at a time when Canada and its global partners are seeking new pathways for growth and long-term collaboration.