Ottawa: Canada and Saudi Arabia have decided to normalize their diplomatic relations.
Five years ago, Canadian criticism on women’s rights led the Saudis to expel the Canadian ambassador.
In 2018, Global Affairs Canada tweeted that it wanted Saudi Arabia to “immediately release” human rights activists, leading Riyadh to fire back that it was unacceptable for Canada to comment on Saudi Arabia’s justice system.
Global Affairs says the restoration of diplomatic relations follows a chat between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in Bangkok on November 18, 2022.
In a statement, Global Affairs Canada said Canada has appointed Jean-Philippe Linteaua as new ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. — With Canadian Press