Mr. Speaker, yesterday His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al Nahyan, the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates, completed a two day visit to Ottawa. The successful visit was a strong signal of the warming relations between the two countries and reciprocated the generous hospitality extended by the sheikh to the Minister of Foreign Affairs last fall.
During their meetings, the two ministers discussed a wide range of issues, including shared concerns about the humanitarian situation in Syria and regional peace and security, as well as opportunities to expand person-to-person ties between our two countries. The productive trip also resulted in yesterday's announcement of negotiations on a joint nuclear co-operation agreement, which would create business opportunities for Canada's nuclear industry and create jobs in both countries.
The United Arab Emirates is a strategic ally and valued commercial partner for Canada and our biggest trading partner in that region. This is a welcome step forward in boosting exchanges of all types and a sign that our bilateral relations are getting even stronger.