Brunei, Canada Can Strengthen Oil Ties
By Syed Rory Malai Hassan

Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei and Canada can expand cooperation in the oil and gas sector given that both have expertise in the area, Canada's outgoing high commissioner yesterday said.

Brunei and Canadian bilateral relations have grown tremendously over the years with fruitful partnerships flourishing in all aspects of development both economically and academically, said Leopold Battel in a reception yesterday celebrating C anada-Brunei partnership at the Sheraton Utama Hotel. He said that since the opening of diplomatic missions in both countries in 1996, Brunei and Canada have worked together to build a more secure world.

The outgoing high commissioner noted that over the years, both countries have collaborated on various issues including health, security and prosperity in various international organisations such as Apec, Asean, the Commonwealth, the World Trade Organisation and the United Nations.

"This has been exemplified when Brunei helped Canada strengthen our dialogue partner relationship with Asean, acting as our Asean coordinating country between 2003 and 2006," he said.

The partnership has also gone beyond the political dimensions, he added, as the Canadian presence has been increasing over the years with many dynamic and prosperous Canadian-Bruneian partnerships contributing to the country's rapid development.

Examples of these partnerships include the Royal Bank of Canada, which was the first foreign bank to avail itself of the International Financial Offshore Centre, Loon Energy in partnership with Nations and the QAF Group in oil exploration and CARIS from new Brunswick in undertaking e-mapping for Brunei's Spatial Data Infrastructure Implementation with its partner Selective Powertech.

Canada and Brunei's partnership has also been developing in the information and communications technology and environmental sectors, he added.

Canada has also contributed to Brunei's development in the academic field, said the outgoing high commissioner, citing twinning arrangements between the Universiti Brunei Darussalam and several Canadian universities which helped develop both nations' human resources.

The reception yesterday, apart from celebrating bilateral relations, was also held in honour of the French-Canadian Day which falls on June 24 and in advance of the Canadian National Day on July 1.

The reception, also a farewell gathering for the outgoing high commissioner, who has served as the high commissioner of Canada to Brunei since November 2006, was attended by government officials, private sector executives and businessmen, partnership members, high commissioners from other countries and so on. -- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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