Minister McGuinty meets with the Minister of State for Defence Affairs of the United Arab Emirates
Press Release
May 13, 2026 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates – National Defence / Canadian Armed Forces
Today, the Minister of National Defence, David J. McGuinty, met with His Excellency Mohamed bin Mubarak Fadhel Al Mazrouei the Minister of State for Defence Affairs for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for a bilateral discussion focused on strengthening defence cooperation between Canada and the UAE.
The Minister recognized that this is a difficult and uncertain time for the UAE and its partners across the Middle East, and discussed how Canada could best contribute to strengthening regional security and stability in the region.
Minister McGuinty reaffirmed Canada’s intent to initiate high level discussions to identify additional areas for increased military cooperation, including training, education, joint exercises, cyber cooperation, and information exchanges.
During the meeting, Minister McGuinty underscored the importance of Canada’s relationship with the UAE and welcomes progress on the negotiations for the Canada-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. Building on this momentum, the Agreement will strengthen our economic ties, unlock new opportunities for defence and industry collaboration, and reinforce our shared commitment to regional stability and prosperity.
The meeting concluded with both sides expressing appreciation for the constructive and forward-looking discussions and reaffirming their shared commitment to peace, stability, and security.