We, the G7 Foreign Ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States of America and the High Representative of the European Union, are gravely concerned by the developments surrounding the ongoing protests in Iran. We strongly oppose the intensification of the Iranian authorities’ brutal repression of the Iranian people, who have been bravely voicing legitimate aspirations for a better life, dignity and freedom, since the end of December 2025.
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, met with Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih, Minister of Investment of Saudi Arabia, during his visit to the Gulf region with a delegation of Canadian senior-level business leaders.
In advance of the visit of Prime Minister Mark Carney, the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, concluded the first leg of his visit to the Gulf region with a stop in Qatar, on January 8, 2026, alongside a Canadian senior-level business delegation.
Today, the Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, met with Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs of Qatar, to discuss Canada-Qatar economic relations.
The Honourable Anita Anand, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Honourable Steven MacKinnon, Minister of Transport and Leader of the Government in the House of Commons, today issued the following statement:
The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade, will visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with a Canadian senior-level business delegation from January 7 to 14, 2026.
We, the foreign ministers of Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom express serious concerns about the renewed deterioration of the humanitarian situation in Gaza, which remains catastrophic.
