Minister Bibeau wraps up successful trade mission to Indo-Pacific Region

OTTAWA, ON, May 2, 2023 /CNW/ - The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, concluded a successful one-week trade mission to Japan and Singapore. The mission underscored one of the Government of Canada's top priorities under the Indo Pacific Strategy (IPS): to expand our partnerships and trade relationships in this region.

Throughout the outreach, Minister Bibeau took part in conversations with her international counterparts and in-market stakeholders, where she reinforced Canada's commitment to deepening and diversifying agriculture trade, promoting Canadian agriculture and agri-food products, sustainable global food trade, and food security.

In Japan, Minister Bibeau met with key Japanese agri-food stakeholders, Canadian industry associations, and Canadian businesses in Tokyo, to highlight the economic relationship between Canada and Japan, and discussed increasing trade and investment ties in the region.

Minister Bibeau also participated in the G7 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in Miyazaki, where she discussed with her counterparts net zero initiatives, sustainable agriculture, resilient agricultural systems, and food security. The Minister also held bilateral meetings with key partners, including Japan's Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Nomura Tetsuro.

While in Singapore, Minister Bibeau attended the Food and Hotel Asia trade show with Alvin Tan, Singapore's Minister of State for Trade and Industry. During the opening ceremony, she highlighted Canadian exporters, as well as their high-quality products and the refreshed Canada Brand that helps Canada stand out in increasingly crowded and competitive global marketplaces.

Minister Bibeau also joined Koh Poh Koon, Singapore's Senior Minister of State of Sustainability and the Environment, for a bilateral meeting to discuss Singapore's '30 by 30' Initiative to build up its agri-food industry's capacity, and how Canada can contribute to Singapore's food security goals.

Finally, Minister Bibeau hosted a round table discussion in Singapore with the Canada-ASEAN Business Council to discuss opportunities and challenges for Canadian companies operating in the region.

Quotes

"The Indo-Pacific Region presents tremendous economic opportunities for Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector. This is why expanding our partnerships and trade relationships in the Indo-Pacific region is a top priority for the Government of Canada. This mission to Japan and Singapore helped connect Canadian entrepreneurs with important players in the Indo-Pacific region, and promoted both Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector, and our country's commitment and contributions to global food security." 
-  The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick Facts

• The Indo-Pacific encompasses 40 countries and economies: Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, North Korea, Pacific Island Countries (14), Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.
• The Indo-Pacific is likely to make up two-thirds of the middle class by 2030, and over half of global GDP by 2040.
• Japan is Canada's second-largest market for beef and beef products, and was the third-largest market for Canada's agriculture exports in 2022.
• Since the ratification of the CPTPP, Canada's agriculture and food exports to Singapore increased by 15.2% every year until 2022, whereas in the four-year period prior to the ratification of the CPTPP (2014-2018), Canada's agriculture and food exports declined by 8.7% every year.
• Minister Bibeau conducted a series of bilateral meetings and discussions with:
• Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of agriculture of Italy;
• Trudy Harrison, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Minister for Natural Environment and Land Use), United Kingdom;
• Ulrik Vestergaard Knudsen, Deputy Secretary General, OECD
• Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme

Associated Links

• G7 Joint Communique
• Canada-Japan joint statement
• Canada's Indo-Pacific Strategy

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SOURCE Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada