OTTAWA — The governments of Canada and the United Arab Emirates say they have concluded negotiations on a free-trade agreement. International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu told a press conference in Toronto on Friday that the next steps include legal review, the signing of the deal and ratification. UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Thani al-Zeyoudi said the agreement was reached in 47 days, which he called “record time.” Sidhu said he plans to travel to the UAE with a Canadian trade and investment delegation later this year. The federal government’s website says bilateral merchandise trade between Canada and the UAE reached $3.4 billion in 2024. The United Arab Emirates pledged last year to invest around $70 billion in Canada and al-Zeyoudi said he is expecting that announcements about investments will be made soon. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 24, 2026. Catherine Morrison, The Canadian Press With files from Elissa Mendes in Toronto
