Strengthen relationships with key bilateral, regional and multilateral partners.

What success looks like

Canadian interests and values are promoted through enhanced cooperation with key international partners.

Government's narrative on progress

Canada continues to constructively contribute to multilateral fora to advance its foreign policy priorities, including at the United Nations; the African Union; the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe; the Commonwealth; the G7; the G20; the International Organization of La Francophonie; the Arctic Council; the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation; the Association of Southeast Asian Nations; the Pacific Alliance; the International Syria Support Group; the Lima Group on Venezuela; the Organization of American States; the World Economic Forum, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and its Development Assistance Committee, the World Trade Organization, and the World Health Organisation. The government signed and provisionally applied the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement with the European Union (CETA), signed the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Trade Partnership (CPTPP) and the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), and is negotiating a free trade agreement with Mercosur (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay), and the Pacific Alliance. The government has also strengthened relationships with key bilateral, regional and multilateral partners in the Asia Pacific, Europe, Eastern Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and the Maghreb through high-level engagements, including 320 visits by the Prime Minister and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Development, as well as the Governor General, who undertook a state visit to three West African countries. Canada and France signed the Canada-France Statement on Artificial Intelligence, which calls for the creation of an international study group on artificial intelligence made up of experts from government, industry, and civil society, and which will be mandated to become the global reference on issues related to artificial intelligence. At the G7 Summit in Charlevoix, Québec, leaders resolved to work together in creating a healthy, prosperous, sustainable and fair future for all. Leaders agreed to a joint communiqué which included the seven Charlevoix Commitments. Canada, along with France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the European Union, further endorsed the Oceans Plastics Charter. Canada welcomed several world leaders and heads of international organizations to the G7 Summit to take part in a special outreach session, which focused on healthy oceans and resilient coastal communities. At the joint Foreign Ministers' and Security meeting in April 2018, G7 Foreign and Security Ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation and share information, including on defending democracy and on managing risks associated with foreign terrorist fighters and associated travellers. Canada has expanded its networks and relationships with international coalitions and forums such as the Freedom Online Coalition; the Internet Governance Forum; the Inter Parliamentary Union, Women Political Leaders Global Forum, and the Community of Democracies. Canada and the EU also co-chaired a meeting of women foreign ministers in Montreal Canada on September 21-22, 2018, which provided an opportunity to harness the perspectives of women foreign ministers in addressing the challenges facing global relations today, particularly with respect to advancing gender equality. Canada is working with France, who holds the G7 Presidency in 2019, to ensure continuity between presidencies. Following the Kerch Strait incident, the Minister of Foreign Affairs took a leadership role in the defence of Ukraine, notably within international fora (the OSCE and NATO), thus strengthening relationships with key partners (Ukraine, Baltic States, EU). On November 6, 2018, the Minister of Foreign Affairs hosted the 2nd annual meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee (JMC) under the Canada-EU Strategic Partnership Agreement (SPA). Concrete deliverables were agreed in the areas of: Canadian participation in EU Election Observer Missions; follow up to the Women Foreign Ministers Meeting co-hosted by the two Ministers in September 2018 in Montreal; Inuit mobility between Canada and Greenland; efforts to reduce black carbon in the Arctic; and an Ocean Partnership. The Prime Minister of Canada and the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom continue discussions to ensure a seamless transition of Canada-UK relations post-Brexit. In November 2018, the third Canada-China Annual Leaders Dialogue was held between the Prime Minister of Canada and the Premier of China.

Note: this is the government's own description, not an independent assessment.