Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has arrived in the Republic of Ireland for an official two-day visit, marking the first bilateral visit by a Canadian prime minister to the country since 2017. Carney and his wife, Diana Fox Carney, met with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Saturday for a one-on-one engagement and a joint press conference at Government Buildings. During the meeting, the leaders announced a new bilateral co-operation framework covering trade, investment, life sciences, research, innovation, security, and defence. During a speech at Trinity College on Saturday, Carney addressed the state of the global order, describing it as a “rupture” rather than a quiet transition. He argued that the rules-based order is breaking down and that multilateral institutions have weakened. Carney appealed to “middle powers” to unite, stating that Canada, Ireland, and Europe are well-placed to be a “force for good” by working together. He highlighted that the combined population of Canada and the European Union is more than twice that of the United States, and their collective defense budget is twice that of China’s. The visit occurs as trade tensions persist between Canada and the United States. While President Donald Trump has pressured Canada regarding sovereignty and used tariffs to push for trade and immigration priorities, Carney noted that the U.S. Has allowed approximately 85% of Canadian trade to remain tariff-free under the USMCA. Carney stated his goal is to double Canada’s non-U.S. Exports over the next decade. He also emphasized Canada’s growing ties with Europe, noting that Canada became the first non-European country to join the EU’s SAFE defense procurement initiative in February. On Sunday, Carney will travel to County Mayo to visit his paternal grandparents’ home in Aghagower, where he will attend Mass and visit a cemetery. He is also scheduled to meet Irish President Catherine Connolly in Westport. According to the Irish government, bilateral trade between the two nations grew from €3.2bn in 2016 to more than €12bn in 2024, while Canadian investment in Ireland has increased by 131% since 2016.