Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership
Memorandum of Understanding
Canada and Israel have shared a close partnership since 1948 and the founding of the Jewish State of Israel, based and built on the foundation of a shared commitment to a common set of core values, principles and interests such as democracy, free markets, security, peace, justice, human rights and freedom, which have guided the development of their full, mutually beneficial and supportive relationship,
Understanding that the security of Israel and the wider region directly affects the security of Canada,
Recognizing that Israel, Canada, and all nations of the world, under the UN Charter, have the right to live in peace and security and the right of self-defence;
Considering that they have a long history of diplomatic cooperation, bilaterally and in a variety of multilateral fora,
Wishing to deepen their relationship by enhancing their bilateral engagement and cooperation across the widest possible spectrum to promote and enhance these values, commitments and interests, resting on the four central pillars of diplomatic partnership: security, economic prosperity and culture and education,
Building on an already extensive network of linkages, agreements, arrangements and understandings;
Understanding that the intent of the Canada-Israel Strategic Partnership is to provide a forward-looking framework – covering the four pillars, which will provide additional structure and strategic direction to the further development and strengthening of their bilateral relationship,
Wish to found a Strategic Partnership with this Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
1. A Diplomatic Partnership
Establishing a Diplomatic Partnership between Canada and Israel,
Considering that they are vital and dynamic members of the international community,
And that they are committed to exploiting fully the opportunities available to jointly advance their common interests and values,
Considering that the promotion and protection of freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law is an integral part of their respective society and foreign policy,
Acknowledging that Canada is recognized globally for its leadership on human rights issues, taking principled positions to promote universal values of pluralism and tolerance throughout the world,
Understanding that attempts to isolate, delegitimize and undermine Israel violate core international principles, are at odds with Canadian and Israeli values of tolerance and mutual respect, and prevent meaningful dialogue,
Enhancing Canada and Israel’s respective and collective capabilities, and building on already substantial foundations, a Canada-Israel diplomatic partnership will advance the national interests of both of them,
Considering that their regular consultations and diplomatic engagement have enhanced linkages and deepened their mutual understanding of regional and global challenges,
Wishing to broaden the already wide spectrum of formal and informal understandings that have guided the diplomatic relationship to give it additional focus and direction,
Aiming to ensure that International Institutions remain true to their ideals, principles and Charters, as they apply to all responsible members of the international community while creating opportunities to advance peace, prosperity, human rights and democracy,
Understanding that regular consultations, diplomatic engagement and collaboration between them will deepen bilateral linkages and broaden mutual understanding of regional and global challenges.
A. Government to Government Meetings: Recognizing the importance of Government to Government meetings that deepen the relationship and the cooperation between them,
Canada and Israel will:
- Conduct periodic Government to Government meetings, to take place in each country.
B. Ministerial Contacts:
Canada and Israel will:
- Maintain a steady flow of Ministerial visits;
- Conduct Ministerial meetings on the margins of international conferences attended by both of them, including UN General Assembly;
- Conduct regular consultations on important themes in preparation for major international summits.
C. Foreign Ministry Cooperation: Recognizing that cooperation between Foreign Ministry officials is frequent, covering formalized consultations and ad hoc, issue-oriented discussions in Ottawa and Jerusalem and multilateral fora,
Canada and Israel will:
- Conduct annual Political Consultations at the level of the Deputy Foreign Minister of Canada and his or her counterpart, the Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel, to address regional, global and bilateral issues and work toward Foreign Ministers participation at least once every five years;
- Develop diplomatic reporting exchange mechanisms – focusing on areas where there are regional gaps;
- Explore opportunities for joint or shared training initiatives in their respective Foreign Ministry and Department;
- Organize speakers programs involving visits by Ministry experts for consultations with their counterparts;
- Explore additional diplomatic representation needs such as advocacy, service delivery and emergency assistance in countries where Canada or Israel is not present;
- Continue to support the strengthening of partnerships between Israel and its neighbours and Mediterranean partners; and,
- Conduct annual research dialogues.
D. International Development Cooperation: Under the terms of the CIDA‑MASHAV Memorandum of Understanding signed at Ottawa in December 2012,
Canada and Israel will:
- Conduct consultations between high level officials to support its implementation, including identification of new countries of cooperation;
- Work towards Ministerial consultations at least once every five years;
- Explore cooperation in joint project and research and program development in third countries;
- Strengthen high-level policy dialogue and institutional linkages;
- Share lessons learned and best practices in international development;
- Protect the most vulnerable by working to meet the Millennium Development Goals through development cooperation, and collaborate on the UN-led process to articulate a post-2015 development agenda;
- Use effective, results-based development assistance in areas such as food security, agriculture, children and youth, humanitarian assistance, and sustainable economic growth, as well as to protect the health of mothers and children, including, inter alia, through the G8 Muskoka Initiative;
- Where possible, partnering with Grand Challenges Canada in fostering communities of innovators working together to solve key development challenges and assist in establishing Grand Challenges Israel.
E. Multilateral Cooperation: Recognizing that there is wide scope for consultations and strategic planning across the spectrum of multilateral organizations,
Canada and Israel will:
- Establish a Multilateral Working Group (MWG) to develop strategy to address upcoming challenges and opportunities in various fora;
- Hold regular sub-consultations in order to discuss implementation at the functional level and support the MWG process;
- Aim for the MWG to consult annually, with members to be designated as needed.
F. Cooperation in Multilateral Organisations:
- Cooperate on matters relating to membership processes or participation in international organizations; and,
- Hold an annual dialogue in preparation for General Assembly Meetings, and cooperate during the work of the GA Committees.
2. Defence and Security
Recognizing that both Canada and Israel seek the right to live in peace, with security, as members of the international community, Canada and Israel are committed to ensure this reality,
Sharing a deep commitment to defend freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law and standing together to jointly protect these common values through their renewed and strengthened partnership,
Pledging to strengthen their defence and security cooperation by continuing to fully implement existing security initiatives and by intending to enhance information and intelligence sharing while seeking new opportunities to fulfill their shared vision of safe and secure societies,
Furthering their shared commitment of greater peace and security, guided by the principles of openness, cooperation, and partnership and working together with the deepest respect for each other’s unique contributions to the relationship,
Canada and Israel will base the scope of their activities for this deeper defence and security relationship on the following seven themes:
A. Increased Security Discussions between Relevant Ministries and Departments: Recognizing that frequent exchanges enable them to share information and build a common understanding of the threats they are facing, they have met frequently for talks on a wide range of issues, which has helped greatly in establishing a strong and open security and defence relationship.
To further benefit from this relationship, Canada and Israel will hold:
- Annual consultations between senior officials leading to the G8 Foreign Ministerial;
- Quarterly teleconferences between senior officials to inform on recent developments; and,
- Exchange of information assessments.
B. Broader Defence Relations: Recognizing the signature by the Canadian Department of National Defence and the Israeli Ministry of Defence of the Principal Memorandum of Understanding (PMOU) on January 10, 2011 as a milestone in their defence relations, resulting in a significant increase in defence ties,
Wishing to further the improvements to the defence relationship which have already been accomplished since the signing of the PMOU and other arrangements,
Canada and Israel will:
- Maintain the frequency of high-level visits, including regular meetings at the political level;
- Conduct annual senior level Strategic Defence Policy Dialogues;
- Maintain Military Attaché Offices in their respective countries which are appropriate and reflect increased defence relations;
- Establish a high-level military-to-military working group to formalize and inform military-to-military relations and cooperation;
- Conduct port visits;
- Regularize joint training opportunities including participation in bilateral and multilateral exercises of regular and special operation forces;
- Increase Research and Development (R & D), defence material cooperation, and defence procurement opportunities.
C. Strengthened Counter-Terrorism Collaboration: Recognizing the threat that terrorism poses and wishing to protect their citizens against those who desire to attack their democratic societies,
Canada and Israel will strengthen counter-terrorism collaboration by:
- Strengthening diplomatic cooperation aimed at countering and denouncing terrorist organizations, particularly those operating in the Middle East;
- Strengthening cooperation on the designation of terror organizations with an emphasis on extremist forces that operate in the Middle East and globally.
- Deepening cooperation aimed at monitoring and countering trends of radicalization leading to violence by global movements including the threat posed by travel for terrorist purposes;
- Conducting bi-annual Counter Terrorism Consultations with Senior Officials to address shared terrorism threats and avenues for cooperation, including advocacy, engagement and programming;
- Coordinating and cooperating in multilateral frameworks and enhancing common goals and interests through active participation in their initiatives related to the global fight against terrorism;
- Enhancing intelligence sharing, as appropriate;
- Seeking opportunities to work together with third countries to provide capacity building in order to contribute to their overall security; and,
- Supporting the efforts to prevent arms smuggling aimed to supply terrorist organizations.
D. Advance Regional Security and Middle East Peace:
Canada and Israel will work toward greater regional stability and security and in supporting Middle East Peace efforts by:
- Continuing to support targeted development assistance and training opportunities relevant for the institutions of the Palestinian Authority.
E. Enhanced Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness: Understanding that information sharing and cooperation on public safety issues and emergency preparedness is well entrenched between them and that it continues to grow,
Recognizing further that Public Safety Canada and the agencies under its portfolio have excellent relations with Israel’s Ministry of Public Security and other partner agencies (such as the Ministry of Home Front Defence), particularly in the context of the 2008 Canada-Israel Declaration of Intent, which prioritizes broad areas for ongoing cooperation, including Critical Infrastructure Protection; Correctional Services and Prisons; Law Enforcement Cooperation; Border Management and Security; Emergency Management; and Crime Prevention.
Taking into account the 2008 Canada-Israel Declaration of Intent, Canada and Israel will:
- Meet annually to discuss mutual priorities which would benefit them;
- Explore and identify key public safety and emergency preparedness matters of mutual interest;
- Continue the exchange of best practices and lessons learned;
- Develop and deliver joint projects to improve the safety and security of their citizens; and,
- Explore opportunities to provide capacity building assistance to third countries to manage their public safety issues.
F. Cyber Security: Recognizing that malicious cyber activity can undermine the significant economic and social benefits that accompany the growth of cyberspace and technological innovation,
Canada and Israel will:
- Exchange information on national cyber security policies and best practices to strengthen their respective cyber security;
- Continue operational collaboration on a case by case basis between their respective national computer security incident response team, the Canadian Cyber Incident Response Center in Canada and CERTGOV in Israel; and,
- Conduct officials and expert visits to promote cooperation between their respective organizations with cyber security responsibilities.
G. Improved Aviation Security: Understanding that cooperation between Transport Canada and Israel’s Ministry of Transport and Road Safety is a key component of enhancing the security of their aviation systems – in particular strengthening the security of Canadian and Israeli airline passengers and air cargo,
Canada and Israel will work together to facilitate and enhance cooperation to protect their air transport industries and the travelling public, including working toward a Declaration of Intent to advance the following key objectives:
- Share knowledge, experience, expertise, information, research and best practices;
- Identify and share aviation security concerns on the basis of threats, risk assessments, priorities, vulnerabilities and consequences;
- Facilitate technical exchange cooperation, including education, training and exercises;
- Establish a senior level Management Committee to coordinate the delivery of approved activities; and,
- Encourage mutual visits and enhance cooperation between Directors of Airports.
3. Economic Prosperity
Recognizing that they are trading nations, and both their economic growth and prosperity in both Canada and Israel are inextricably linked to trade;
Considering that the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA), combined with a range of other economic agreements, provides a facilitative framework for the development of a prosperous economic partnership and that such instruments reflect their goodwill to more fully develop commercial linkages between them,
Recognizing that there is considerable scope to expand and more fully develop the commercial partnership by improving the framework, knowledge and understanding of the opportunities available to the private sector in each country;
Committing to engaging their business communities to ensure that the economic partnership reaches its full potential;
Canada and Israel will:
A. Expand the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA):
- Conduct negotiations with the goal to expand and modernize the current CIFTA agreement;
- Establish annual consultations led by DFATD and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which:
- (a) Will include the participation of representatives from other economic-related ministries and departments; and
- (b) Will address other issues such as agricultural R&D, green growth, G‑20 initiatives, energy, and others as they may mutually decide upon.
B. Conduct Trade and Investment Missions:
- Conduct mutually decided-upon trade and investment missions no less than once every (two) years in each country, involving trade delegates as well as potential investors from priority areas of commercial focus in their countries. Canada and Israel understand that these missions will be attended by the highest levels of industry, business and government in order to ensure productivity.
C. Promote Science, Technology and Innovation:
- Promote collaborative research and development aimed at increasing commercial opportunities between Canadian and Israeli companies with a view to increasing mutual competitiveness. This may include sectors such as aerospace and defence, information and communications technology (ICT), life sciences and cleaner energy technology;
- Support bilateral cooperation in areas of industrial research and development with the assistance of such agencies as MATIMOP – the Israeli Industry Center for Research and Development and the National Research Council of Canada;
- Work with partners who promote innovation and start-up enterprises in both countries; and,
- Further cooperate to advance shared energy interests, mainly in the responsible development of unconventional oil and gas technologies.
D. Improve Global Economic Conditions:
- Cooperate to safeguard mutual prosperity, including cooperation where possible between financial markets and institutions;
- Rigorously promote global efforts to ensure strong sustainable and balanced growth, sound fiscal management, healthy financial sectors and regulatory systems, open markets, productivity-enhancing structural reforms;
- Cooperate on matters of Innovation between them; and,
- Cooperate in multilateral fora on internet-related issues given the cross-cutting implications of the current multi-stakeholder internet governance model which allows for openness, competition and innovation, thus contributing to global social and democratic development.
4. Science, Culture, Education and Sport
Considering the full respect for the legislative powers of the provinces and territories of Canada and the full respect for the legislative powers of the Government of Israel in the fields of education and training, and the autonomy of the higher education and training institutions;
Considering that they share a set of core values and people-to-people linkages which form a core foundation of the bilateral relationship,
Understanding that cultural and academic exchanges, either formal or informal, reinforce a long tradition of people-to-people ties which supports these linkages and underlines the natural affinity between their citizens,
Canada and Israel intend to:
A. Scientific cooperation:
- Encourage and support scientific collaboration between their academic research institutions where possible;
B. Academic exchanges:
- Explore the possibility of establishing an Academic Exchange program including both education and research, applicable to various levels of academic study, in areas of key interest for them, such as innovation and technology, with the goal to build academic diplomacy and grow expertise;
- Explore the possibility of establishing a joint research program in priority areas decided upon by both sides.
C. Cultural exchanges:
- Examine the possibility of youth exchanges, with the goal of creating understanding of Canada’s and Israel’s unique cultural heritages.
- Explore the possibility of joint projects in the field of sport, with the goal of promoting the positive values inherent in sporting activity and healthy lifestyle.
5. Law and Society
Considering they share the core values of a democratic legal culture respecting human rights, promoting children rights, and encouraging civil society participation,
They will, inter alia:
- Conduct periodic consultations on legal issues of mutual interest between legal departments of both Foreign Ministry and Department;
- Consider a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding for the recovery of child support; and,
- Encourage exchanges between their courts.
6. Reporting and Assessment
- Canada and Israel will review annually, during the political consultations process, the progress made in achieving the desired goals and benchmarks set out in this MOU. Canada and Israel understand that such review will comprise a part of the reports to the appropriate Ministers prepared following these consultations.
- While possible changes or additions will be part of this annual process, Canada and Israel will conduct a comprehensive review of this MOU every five years with specific recommendations on changes as necessary.
7. Final Dispositions
- This MOU will take effect on the date of its signature.
- Canada and Israel may amend this MOU upon their mutual written consent.
- Canada or Israel may terminate this MOU by giving a written notice to the other country.
- Date Modified: