OTTAWA – Prime Minister Mark Carney is scheduled to attend the United Nations General Assembly next week, amidst a backdrop of geopolitical instability, conflict, and U.S. President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the multilateral order.
During his time in New York City from Monday to Wednesday, Carney will not deliver a formal speech at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. However, senior government officials have indicated that he will engage in meetings with world and business leaders and participate in various UN events.
In a news release, Carney emphasized that “the world is looking at Canada differently,” stating that “at a moment when the international order is being remade, Canada intends to help shape it.” He underscored the importance of collaboration, aiming to translate cooperation into tangible opportunities for Canadian workers and businesses.
Carney will co-host an event with France and the United Kingdom focused on the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. This event marks one year since the three nations recognized the independence of the Palestinian state at the General Assembly. The gathering aims to reaffirm support for the two-state solution and evaluate the implementation of crucial priorities and the progress made thus far.
Earlier this month, Canada joined several European nations in pledging to ban imports of goods produced in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. This move reflects a collective condemnation of Israel’s alleged practices that facilitate settler violence and the expansion of settlements widely deemed illegal under international law.
At the General Assembly, Carney will also participate in an OceanEye International Alliance event, which focuses on ensuring sustained investment and access to open ocean data, alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Additionally, he will engage in a roundtable discussion aimed at strengthening multilateral collaboration with European Council President António Costa and Kenya’s President William Ruto.
Discussions at the UN are framed within ongoing efforts for significant reforms, significantly influenced by Trump’s administration, which has called for dramatic changes and has withheld funding, exacerbating institutional turmoil. The Trump administration has also withdrawn from multiple UN organizations, including the World Health Organization and UNESCO, further straining the UN's capacity.
As global diplomatic tensions rise, the UN is in the process of selecting its next secretary-general. Carney's engagements aim to reinforce cooperation with international partners and foster a more effective UN that addresses core issues of peace, security, development, and human rights.
In contrast to Trump’s distancing from international institutions, Carney has prioritized strengthening Canada’s relationships with global partners, a stance that occasionally meets disapproval from the U.S. president. Recently, von der Leyen suggested that Canada could become the first “associate member” of the EU, a prospect that Trump has described as a potentially “hostile act,” threatening further tariffs on European imports.
In the context of escalating trade tensions, Trump has intensified his trade war with Canada, applying 50 percent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, proposing outright bans on specific Canadian imports, and signing an executive order to rename Lake Ontario as Lake America. Furthermore, Trump issued a memorandum instructing federal agencies to eliminate all Canadian-made products from government procurement.
Canadian officials have noted that the General Assembly is a large event, and there is a possibility for Carney and Trump to encounter one another, although there are currently no meetings scheduled with the U.S. administration. In addition, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand is scheduled to deliver a speech during the General Assembly.
