Indonesia, Canada Boost ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership

RRI.CO.ID, Ottawa – Bilateral relations between Indonesia and Canada, as well as the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership, entered a new phase through the celebration of the 59th ASEAN Day at the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia (KBRI) in Ottawa, Canada, on Monday, August 10, 2026. Canadian Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, attended the celebration as the guest of honor, which was organized by the ASEAN Committee in Ottawa (ACO) under Indonesia’s chairmanship.

Anand’s presence marked the first time for a Canadian Foreign Minister to attend an ASEAN Day celebration in Ottawa. Nearly 200 guests were present at the event, including members of the diplomatic corps, parliamentarians, government officials, business representatives, and academics.

Her attendance at the Indonesian Embassy in Ottawa followed her participation in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Post-Ministerial Conference (AMM PMC) in Manila, where the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership Plan of Action 2026-2030 was adopted.

In his remarks, Indonesian Ambassador to Canada and ACO Chair, Muhsin Syihab, emphasized ASEAN’s important role as an anchor of stability amid global geopolitical dynamics.

According to the Ambassador, ASEAN’s strength lies in cooperation and trust among its member states. “ASEAN may not be able to solve every problem, but it remains a balancing force, managing differences peacefully and maintaining peace not only through a balance of power, but through a balance of trust,” Muhsin said in a statement received in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 11, 2026.

Meanwhile, Canadian Foreign Minister, Anita Anand, expressed her appreciation for Indonesia’s leadership of the ACO and reaffirmed Canada’s long-term commitment to strengthening its engagement with the ASEAN region.

She also reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to achieving the target of concluding the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement in 2026. “Canada and ASEAN may be separated by the Pacific Ocean, but our futures are increasingly connected. We share common interests in open markets, secure sea lanes, peace, and stability,” she said.

Economic ties between ASEAN and Canada have also continued to show positive growth. ASEAN is currently Canada’s fifth-largest trading partner, with two-way trade reaching 52.4 billion Canadian dollars, or approximately 37.38 billion US dollars.

Meanwhile, Canada’s foreign direct investment in ASEAN reached nearly 7 billion Canadian dollars at the end of 2024.

The relationship between the two sides is also strengthened by people-to-people ties. More than 1.3 million Canadians are of Southeast Asian descent, while the number of students from ASEAN countries in Canada has reached around 70,500. The 59th ASEAN Day celebration also served as a momentum to look ahead to the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-Canada dialogue relations in 2027.

Indonesia will serve as the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Canada relations for the 2027-2030 period. The event concluded with cultural performances from Indonesia, the Philippines, and Myanmar.