Premier Scott Moe returned from his trade mission to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) where he opened Saskatchewan’s eighth international trade office and met with government and business leaders..The goal of the trip was to expand international trade with the UAE mainly with agricultural products, which account for 99% of Saskatchewan’s 2021 exports to the UAE..The press asked Moe about the purpose of his UAE trip, which was agricultural trade..“First and foremost, it was an agricultural focused trip. About 30% of Canada's exports into the emirates comes from Saskatchewan. We are a significant supplier of agricultural products. Of that 30%, virtually 100% is agricultural products,” said Moe..Moe highlighted Saskatchewan is the first Canadian province to open a trade office in the UAE..“First province to open a trade office in the UAE, very much noticed by all of those we met with.”.Moe’s trip was to let the UAE know about Saskatchewan’s uranium since the UAE is building the largest nuclear reactor in the world..“Second, in the emirates, there’s one of the largest nuclear power plants being constructed in the world. They are in phase two of a four-stage construction process. A great opportunity for them to buy clean uranium from the province of Saskatchewan and we engaged on that topic,” said Moe..The Saskatchewan government entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) about working together with the UAE on energy technology..“Third, we did sign an MOU with the minister of energy from the UAE. Specific to working on small modular reactor technology, hydrogen technology, and other opportunities, we might have to reduce our emissions profile and provide energy and electricity into our respective nations. We did sign that MOU,” said Moe..The final reason for the trip was to prepare for the next two UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (known as COP) and what Saskatchewan can offer the world..“Last but not least, as we know that COP 27 I believe is in Egypt. Twenty-eight following in the UAE, we are going to attend both of those and so we were engaging on what role can Saskatchewan play given the fact that we have some of the most sustainable uranium that could potentially be used in the UAE and other places,” said Moe..“We have the most sustainable food that is produced in the world [and] is going into the UAE. It’s being repackaged and sold elsewhere in the world … the conversation around oil and what we are doing here in the way in producing lower carbon content oil that many other places in the world, virtually any other place in the world. Had a very healthy and robust conversation on that topic and bring that conversation to COP 28 in Abu Dhabi.”.Reporters asked Moe in the media scrum about how the UAE trade helps Saskatchewan..“In this province, increasing the value of exports equals jobs in Saskatchewan. That’s been proven over the years. We’ve seen this last year, a record value of our exports. About $37 billion was exports sent to over 150 countries around the world and that means additional jobs. We are seeing that interest in Saskatchewan with the $14 billion investment that is coming,” said Moe..“The largest potash mine on earth is being constructed here. We are seeing a resurgence in the uranium industry. We are seeing although we had drought last year, we are seeing strong pricing in the agricultural industry. We are seeing investments and adding value to those products. Most likely the largest investment in the province’s history in the forestry industry. So there is more to come.”.The top five 2021 exports to the UAE were canola seed ($337.3 million), lentils ($238.5 million), durum wheat ($22.8 million), non-durum wheat ($16.2 million), and peas ($14.2 million)..In 2021, Saskatchewan was the largest supplier of canola seed and lentils to the UAE.
