Canada-Lithuania relations
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Bilateral relations
Canada and Lithuania enjoy positive bilateral relations based on strong people-to-people ties and as like-minded NATO Allies. Canada did not recognize the Soviet annexation of the Baltic States and was one of the first countries to recognize the restoration of Lithuania's independence.
In July 2023, Canada’s Diplomatic Office in Vilnius was upgraded to an Embassy, and Canada’s first resident Ambassador to Lithuania was appointed.
Lithuania is represented in Canada by an Embassy in Ottawa. Lithuania also has Honorary Consulates in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal.
Trade relations
Canada enjoys preferential market access in Lithuania due to the provisional application of the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), which Lithuania ratified in 2018.
Canadian merchandise exports to Lithuania totaled $178 million in 2023, up 5.1% from 2022.
Canadian merchandise imports from Lithuania totaled $267 million in 2023, down 35.2% from 2022, largely due to a decline in oil imports.
The value of Canadian direct investment position in Lithuania was $5.0 million at the end of 2023. The direct investment position from Lithuania in Canada was valued at $1.0 million at the end of 2023.
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Defence cooperation
Canada was one of the first countries to ratify Lithuania's accession to NATO in 2004, and Canada and Lithuania continue to enjoy positive and constructive defence relations, mainly through the NATO framework.
Canada’s engagement in the Baltic region has been increasing in line with NATO’s strengthened assurance and deterrence measures in the region. The most visible element of this defence posture are NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence (eFP) battlegroups, including in Lithuania. Canada plays a leading role as eFP Framework Nation for the NATO battlegroup in Latvia under . Canada also contributes Canadian Armed Forces personnel to the NATO Force Integration Unit in Lithuania. In 2012, Canada contributed up to $5 million to the NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence based in Vilnius, Lithuania to help improve energy efficiency in the operational environment and reduce dependency on energy supply chains.
Partnerships and organizations
To develop effective responses to today’s most pressing global challenges, Canada and Lithuania work closely in multilateral forums, such as:
- La Francophonie
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
- Open Government Partnership (OGP)
- Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)
- Pacific Alliance
- United Nations (UN)
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
- World Trade Organization (WTO)
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