Canada and Pakistan have entered a new chapter in their bilateral relationship, with both governments committing to deepen economic cooperation, strengthen security and development partnerships, and build on the strong people-to-people ties that connect our two countries.
I wanted to share the outcome of Minister Anita Anand’s official visit to Pakistan, which marked the first visit by a Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs to Pakistan in nearly 20 years and represents a significant milestone in the Canada–Pakistan relationship.
During the visit, Minister Anand met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and other senior Pakistani officials to advance cooperation across a range of shared priorities.
The visit resulted in several important announcements, including:
- Progress toward concluding a Canada–Pakistan Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) to strengthen investment and economic cooperation.
- A new agreement enabling the continued export of Canadian canola to Pakistan, supporting agricultural trade and food security.
- Expanded collaboration on clean energy, including Canadian investment in Pakistan’s renewable energy sector.
- More than $2.2 million in new funding to strengthen cooperation on counterterrorism and transnational organized crime.
- $45 million in Canadian development assistance to support education, climate resilience, and reproductive health initiatives in Pakistan.
Both governments also reaffirmed the importance of the more than 300,000 Canadians of Pakistani heritage and over 9,000 Pakistani students in Canada, recognizing the vital role that people-to-people ties, parliamentary engagement, trade, education, and cultural exchange play in strengthening the bilateral relationship.
For those interested in learning more, you can read the official Canada–Pakistan Joint Statement issued by both governments here: Canada–Pakistan Joint Statement: Strengthening Bilateral and Trade Relations.
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