Both the Canadian and Saudi Arabian governments have announced they will resume diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia is Canada’s second largest trading partner despite frozen diplomatic relations.

Relations between the two countries were frozen after a tweet for the immediate release of blogger Raif Badawi and his sister Samar on 5 August 2018 over human rights concerns. Saudi Arabia then accused Canada of interfering in its internal affairs and expelled the Canadian ambassador to Saudi Arabia 48 hours later. Saudi Arabia also recalled its ambassador from Ottawa, suspended all new trade (except oil sales), terminated all Saudia services to Toronto, and cancelled scholarships for thousands of Saudi students in Canada.

Today however, the Canadian government made this announcement:

“In light of what has been discussed between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the sidelines of the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in Bangkok on November 18, 2022, and the desire for both sides to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries on the basis of mutual respect and common interests; it has been decided to restore the level of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia to its previous level.

Canada has appointed a new ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Jean-Philippe Linteau.”

Saudi Arabia also made this announcement: