Visit of EEAS Secretary-General and Special Envoy for EU–Canada partnership to Ottawa

Secretary-General Martinez Carbonell and Special Envoy Korte met with representatives from the Prime Minister’s Office and senior officials from Global Affairs Canada to advance discussions on security, foreign policy and trade cooperation. They also participated in a roundtable with all the Deputy Ministers.

They notably met with Christiane Fox, Deputy Minister of National Defence; Nathalie G. Drouin, National Security Adviser; Sandra McCardell and Alexandre Lévêque ADM of Foreign Affairs; and Cindy Termorshuizen, Canada’s G7 and G20 Sherpa.

On the margins of the meeting with John Hannaford, Personal Representative to the EU, they were pleased to be greeted by Prime Minister Mark Carney, who underscored the strategic importance of the EU–Canada relationship.

The Secretary-General and the Special Envoy also met with the Heads of Mission of the 27 EU Member States represented in Ottawa, sharing insights on foreign policy priorities and the mission of the special envoy.

The visit coincided with the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. On this occasion, Secretary-General Martinez Carbonell delivered remarks at a commemorative event organised by the Embassy of Ukraine, reaffirming the EU’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Engagement with the youth was also high on the agenda. The Secretary-General exchanged with students at the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at Carleton University and met high school students from across the Ottawa region participating in the EuroChallenge competition organised by the EU Delegation.

It was a rich and busy visit, that reflects both the ambition of the agenda and the breadth of cooperation defining the EU–Canada partnership.