RIYADH: Canada and India have signed a deal to allow unlimited flights between the two countries as the North American nation steadily deepens its economic and trade relations in the Indo-Pacific region, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced.
During his keynote address, at the B20 conference in Bali, Indonesia, on Nov. 14, Trudeau said that Canada is seeking to strengthen its engagement in the region through major investments.
“For example, we are establishing a new Canadian trade gateway in South East Asia that will help Canadian businesses expand into new markets, linking them to business networks in this dynamic region,” Trudeau said.
He added: “Canada and the Indo-Pacific region also share strong ties between our people, and we will make these ties even stronger.”
Trudeau noted that Indonesia’s rapid growth presents enormous opportunities for investments and businesses.
He continued: “Last week we announced our Indo-Pacific strategy. We are deepening our existing friendships in the region, seeking new allies and promoting stability. Business leaders are key to individual and collective success.”
He also blamed Russia for the unprecedented food and energy crisis globally, post the war in Ukraine.
“Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine resulted in a food and energy crisis. It is disrupting supply chains and raising the cost of living. Challenges posed by Russia’s war in Ukraine are real, and only through collaboration between businesses, governments and civil society, we can create real lasting solutions,” Trudeau said.
According to Trudeau, technology, “if used right,” will help build a better future for everyone. He further pointed out that all the technological developments which are happening in the world should be people-centered.
“Whenever we talk about industry 4.0 and the prosperity it can unlock, we have to remember to always put people at the center of everything we do. Technology needs to make people’s lives comfortable,” he added.
Trudeau went on and pointed out that new technologies can make the global economy and international trade more accessible for people everywhere.
“Emerging technologies are radically transforming business and business models, and are unleashing new market opportunities. We also have to make sure that smaller economies and businesses can fully access global market economies,” he added.
Talking about the renewable energy transition in Canada, the prime minister said that the nation’s electricity grid is already over 80 percent clean and is on its way to achieving 100 percent.
