Canada seeks strategic autonomy and trade diversification

Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand addressed the United Nations General Assembly, stating that the global order is undergoing a significant shift. She argued that Canada must strengthen its strategic autonomy and reduce its excessive dependence on a single partner to ensure it can make independent decisions and determine its own sovereign future.

To achieve this, Canada aims to diversify its economic and diplomatic ties. Key priorities include strengthening alliances with Europe, seeking opportunities in the Indo-Pacific, the Gulf, and Latin America, and renewing relations with major economies such as India and China. The government intends to mobilize 1 trillion Canadian dollars in investments over the next five years.

Regarding security and international conflicts, Anand reaffirmed Canada’s support for Ukraine and its commitment to NATO, noting that military spending has reached 2 percent of GDP. On the Middle East, she expressed support for a two-state solution and stated that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law.