Canada, Saudi Arabia to Restore Diplomatic Relations

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Facts

  • Saudi Arabia and Canada announced on Wednesday that they would resume diplomatic relations and appoint new ambassadors, breaking five years of poor relations after a dispute over human rights severely strained ties between them.1
  • In separate statements, both nations' foreign ministries said they intended to restore diplomatic relations to the "previous level," with Ottawa announcing that it had appointed Jean-Philippe Linteau as its new ambassador to Riyadh.2
  • A Canadian government source familiar with the matter reportedly said that as a result of the agreement, punitive trade measures against Saudi Arabia, which was Canada's largest regional export market in 2021 at $1.65B, will be lifted.3
  • Canada's Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly stressed the need to maintain communication despite disagreements in order to find "global solutions to global problems," while Roland Paris, Trudeau's former foreign policy adviser, called Saudi Arabia an "important player" in the region.4
  • The resumption of ties based on "mutual respect and common interests" was prompted after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held sidebars at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum summit in Bangkok last year.5
  • In 2018, Riyadh expelled Canada's ambassador, recalled its own envoy to Ottawa, and severely restricted bilateral trade. The move followed social media messages by Canada's Embassy in Riyadh and the Canadian Foreign Ministry calling for the release of women's rights activists.6

Sources: 1Al Jazeera, 2DW, 3Reuters, 4Firstpost, 5Middle East Eye, and 6Global News.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by CBC. Despite Saudi Arabia's questionable human rights record, Ottawa made the right decision in resuming diplomatic relations. It was Saudi Arabia's aggressive response to Canada's justified criticism of the detention of human rights activists that led to the rupture in the first place. Bin Salman, however, has begun to focus his country's economic policies on attracting foreign investment and tourism, and Canada welcomes this move. Common interests should not be overshadowed by disagreements, and only a solid foundation for dialogue will lead to understanding and change.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Wall Street Journal. The Canada-Saudi Arabia rapprochement fits into Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman's recent diplomatic spree to polish his image and position the kingdom as a major player in regional and international politics. However, Saudi Arabia continues to crack down on free expression and human rights activists. While some activists were released in 2018, many remain in detention, and more have been detained in the past year. Canada should be careful not to put its interests before its values when dealing with Saudi Arabia.