The key facts

  • Turkey and Canada signed three documents: on the defense industry, air transport and energy.
  • The signing took place at the presidential complex in Ankara after talks between Erdogan and Carney.
  • Gorgun said that the transition of relations to a strategic partnership was discussed.

Three agreements in Ankara

Turkey and Canada on Thursday, October 22, signed three agreements — on partnership in the defense industry, on air transport, and on cooperation in energy. The ceremony took place at the presidential complex in Ankara in the presence of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, following bilateral talks and meetings in an enlarged format.

Who signed the documents

The memorandum of understanding on partnership in the defense industry was signed by the head of Turkey's Defense Industries Secretariat, Haluk Gorgun, and Canada's Foreign Minister Anita Anand. The agreement on air transport was signed by Turkey's Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu and Anand. The joint declaration on energy cooperation was signed by Turkey's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar and Canadian Energy Minister Tim Hodgson.

Statements from the Turkish side

Gorgun, according to Anadolu, stated on the social network X that the signing of the memorandum was 'concrete evidence' of the determination of the two NATO allies to strengthen their defense partnership. He said he attended the official welcoming ceremony for Carney and the talks between the leaders. According to him, the discussions in Ankara focused on steps to elevate relations with Canada to the level of a strategic partnership, expanding bilateral cooperation, primarily in the defense industry, as well as on current regional and global developments. Gorgun also noted that Turkey's defense industry remains one of the country's most important 'force multipliers,' with growing exports and platforms that have proven themselves on the international stage.