REGINA — Saskatchewan is forging a global presence through new trade partnerships and opportunities for the province in the third quarter of the 2023/2024 fiscal year, according to Saskatchewan Trade and Export Development.
During the quarter, Saskatchewan representatives were involved in several international missions. Saskatchewan's international office network facilitated 22 trade and investment missions, including visits to Singapore, the Philippines and the COP 28 climate summit in Dubai.
Attending international missions in Q3, including London, Warsaw and the COP 28 in Dubai, "elevated Saskatchewan's and Regina's profile on the international stage, paving the way for new opportunities and economic growth," said Chris Lane, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce president and CEO
During the province's mission to COP 28, several partnerships were announced. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) formalized co-operation between the Government of Saskatchewan and German biotechnology giant Bayer. This MOU allows the two parties to jointly develop sustainable agriculture technologies and practices, which will ultimately lead to lower greenhouse gas emissions in farming, explains Saskatchewan Trade and Export Development.
Other partnerships include the signing of letters of intent (LOI) between several Saskatchewan organizations, including the Saskatchewan Research Council, the University of Regina and the Petroleum Technology Research Centre, with Khalifa University of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi.
On the labour recruitment front, Saskatchewan has attracted global talent. The most recent labour recruitment mission to the Philippines led to 1,400 job interviews and over 39,000 job applications, as well as over 1,000 anticipated nominations for permanent residency through the Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program.
Saskatchewan's Vietnam office supported education fairs and events on behalf of the Ministry of Advanced Education in Vietnam which welcomed over 6,000 people and saw participation from the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.
"Saskatchewan's commitment to fostering international partnerships not only creates more opportunities for our members and businesses on the global stage, but also positions Saskatchewan as a leader in sustainable agriculture and energy solutions,” Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Prahba Ramaswamy said.
“Additionally, the commitment to attracting global talent to address our labour market needs is both strategic and encouraging. These achievements reinforce our optimism about the continued growth and success of businesses in our dynamic landscape."
Regina hosted the 2023 Pacific Northwest Economic Region Economic Leadership Forum. The event brought together local, provincial and state leaders in both public and private sectors to carry out discussions on key subjects affecting the regional economy.
