Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced plans to establish a strategic partnership with Turkey, with both countries working toward a potential free-trade agreement to strengthen economic and diplomatic relations.
Carney arrived in Ankara overnight, marking the first official bilateral visit to Turkey by a Canadian prime minister. In a joint statement with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the leaders outlined plans to expand cooperation, including efforts to ratify an air transportation agreement that could increase direct flight connections between the two countries.
The proposed partnership also aims to strengthen people-to-people exchanges, creating greater opportunities for tourism, employment and education. Carney has pursued similar initiatives with the European Union as part of his government’s broader efforts to improve international mobility and deepen diplomatic relationships.
The joint statement emphasized shared commitments to human rights, individual freedoms, democracy and the rule of law. However, the announcement comes amid growing international criticism of Erdogan’s administration over reports of government persecution of LGBTQ+ organizers in Turkey.
