OTTAWA – Canada has partnered with Australia, Brunei, Chile, Myanmar, New Zealand and Singapore to facilitate the cross-border movement of goods, services and people by maintaining open and connected supply chains throughout the pandemic.
The seven countries signed a joint declaration committing to work closely to “identify and address trade disruptions with ramifications on the flow of necessities,” they said in a joint statement.
The statement also committed the group to ensuring trade lanes remain open, including air and sea freight, to facilitate the flow of goods including essential supplies.
As part of that objective they also recognized the importance of refraining from the imposition of export controls or tariffs and non-tariff barriers and of removing existing trade restrictive measures on essential goods, especially medical supplies.
Finally they pledged to ensure critical infrastructure such as air and seaports remain open to support the continued operation of supply chains globally.
“Coordinating with our international partners is critical to ensuring that Canadian businesses of all sizes can continue to deliver essential goods to people and places that need them,” said Mary Ng, Canada’s minister of small business, export promotion and international trade.
“The COVID-19 pandemic is a global challenge affecting the way businesses all over the world operate. Our efforts to control and mitigate the spread of the virus have resulted in travel restrictions and temporary border closures, and they could have further implications for Canadian businesses operating in the global marketplace.
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