Brunei, Canada Mark 20 Years Of Bilateral Ties

Bandar Seri Begawan – Brunei and Canada are celebrating the 20th Anniversary of their bilateral relationship this year.

Both countries started their bilateral relationship in the very first year of Brunei’s independence in 1984.

Brunei opened its chancery in Ottawa in 1995 and Canada set up its High Commission in Bandar Seri Begawan the following year.

After His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izaddin Waddaullah, Sultan of Brunei’s first visit to Canada during the APEC meeting in 1997 in Vancouver, the relationship between the two countries started to warm up even more.

The second visit of His Majesty in 2000 in Ottawa further built up the friendship and understanding. Since then, a number of Canadian government officials have visited Brunei to maintain and further develop the cooperation between the two countries.

Canada's dialogue partnership with the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Brunei is a member, sharing membership with Brunei in various international forum, including APEC, Commonwealth, the World Trade Organization and the United Nations are all the outcome of such a strong cooperation, which is being built over the last 20 years.

Today, Canada as an affluent high-tech industrial society closely resembles the United States in its market economic system, pattern of production and high living standards.

Since World War II, the impressive growth of the manufacturing, mining and service sectors have transformed the nation from a largely rural economy into a primarily industrial one.

On the other hand, Brunei has been continuously enjoying one of the highest per capita mark on the world economy list together with its widely recognized good name of prosperity and stability due to His Majesty and his government's excellent leadership.

As the current High Commissioner of Canada to Brunei, Mr Paul S.H. Lau, put it during his speech to mark 137th Canada Day in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei is "enjoying the peace and the prosperity due to the good management and the leadership" and it remains a market not to be ignored by Canadian business".

Indeed, the Royal Bank of Canada is among the first banks, which are part of Brunei Darussalam's efforts to woo foreign direct investment.

In recent years, Brunei and Canada have taken steps further with their cooperation in many other areas such as economy, security and defence and commercial sectors.

Significant increase of Canadian companies jointly participating in many investments and business ventures such as education, finance, ICT, human capacity building and environmental related issues are the best examples of this warm and friendly cooperation, Mr Lau said.

He added: "Enjoy and share the same degree of peace and stability which are the key to the partnership in today's world".

Thus, significantly important, well preserved and enhanced bilateral relationship and cooperation between the two countries will continue to climb its highs as they both continuously enjoy the fruits of peace, stability and prosperity in the coming future, he concluded. -- Courtesy of Radio Television Brunei

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