Senior Carney Aide Angad Singh Dhillon Appointed Canada’s Next Ambassador to the UAE

By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi & Emmanuel Ayiku
GhanaianNewsCanada | September 29, 2026

OTTAWA — The Canadian government has appointed Angad Singh Dhillon, a senior adviser who most recently worked in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s office, as Canada’s next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The appointment was announced on September 25 by Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand as part of a wider set of diplomatic appointments.

Dhillon will succeed Radha Krishna Panday as Canada’s ambassador to the UAE. The appointment moves Dhillon from a senior political and government advisory position in Ottawa into a formal diplomatic role representing Canada in Abu Dhabi.

His appointment comes at an important point in Canada-UAE relations, with the two countries seeking to expand trade, investment and broader economic cooperation.

Canada and the UAE concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in July, while the UAE has also emerged as an important destination for Canadian exports and investment in the Middle East.

Who is Angad Singh Dhillon?

Dhillon is a Canadian government and political affairs professional who has spent more than a decade working in Canadian politics and federal public affairs.

Before being appointed ambassador, he served as Director of Operations and Stakeholder Relations in the Office of Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Global Affairs Canada describes him as one of Carney’s close advisers and says he worked with the prime minister on efforts to strengthen Canada’s relationships with important bilateral partners, including India and China.

His work also included stakeholder coordination around incoming investment commitments to Canada and the planning and development of Canada’s inaugural national Investment Summit.

His previous government experience includes serving as chief of staff to two federal cabinet ministers, working in the small business and transport portfolios.

Those positions exposed him to Canada’s international engagement through major multilateral forums, including the G7, G20, United Nations General Assembly, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC), the International Transport Forum and the Conference of the Parties.

From Liberal Party organiser to senior government official

Dhillon’s career in Canadian politics began at the grassroots level.

According to biographical reporting about his career, he entered Canadian politics in 2015, when he worked as a field organiser for the Liberal Party in Ontario’s Peel Region.

He subsequently moved into work with the Liberal Research Bureau, where he was involved in outreach, operations and policy-related work.

His career then progressed into federal government roles, eventually leading to senior positions as chief of staff to cabinet ministers before he joined Carney’s office.

The trajectory has taken him from political organisation and government operations to international diplomacy.

His new appointment therefore represents a significant transition from advising Canada’s prime minister to representing the Canadian government abroad.

His connection to Punjab and the Canadian diaspora

Dhillon’s family has roots in Punjab, India, particularly the village of Ghungrana in the Ludhiana district.

Indian media outlets have highlighted his Punjabi background following the announcement of his appointment.

Reports say Dhillon was born in Chandigarh and later moved to Canada, where he pursued his education and developed a career in Canadian politics and government.

His family background has attracted attention in both Canada and India because of the size and political importance of Canada’s South Asian community.

However, his appointment is formally a Canadian diplomatic appointment based on his government experience and responsibilities. Global Affairs Canada’s official announcement identifies him by his Canadian government roles and does not frame the appointment as being based on his ethnic or family background.

Why the UAE posting matters to Canada

Dhillon is taking up the ambassadorial role at a time when Canada is seeking to strengthen its economic relationships outside the United States.

The UAE is particularly significant because it is one of Canada’s most important economic partners in the Middle East.

According to Global Affairs Canada, the UAE is Canada’s top export market in the Middle East.

The two countries have also been working to reduce trade barriers and increase investment between their economies.

In July, Canada and the UAE concluded negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement.

The agreement is designed to improve market access and reduce trade barriers while creating additional opportunities for businesses and workers in both countries.

Global Affairs Canada described the negotiations as the fastest trade negotiations Canada has ever completed.

The agreement still requires the necessary domestic processes before it enters into force.

Canada and UAE strengthen investment ties

Economic relations have also been reinforced through investment.

Canada’s Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA) with the UAE entered into force on May 19, 2026.

The agreement is intended to provide a more stable framework for investment between the two countries.

The UAE also participated strongly in Canada’s Investment Summit 2026, held in Toronto on September 14 and 15.

Canadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu met with UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi during the summit, where both sides discussed opportunities to deepen commercial and investment ties.

These developments provide important context for Dhillon’s new assignment.

As ambassador, he will be expected to represent Canada’s interests in a country that Ottawa increasingly views as an important economic and strategic partner.

A diplomatic relationship that extends beyond trade

The relationship between Canada and the UAE is not limited to business.

The two governments have also been discussing broader strategic cooperation.

On September 21, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand met UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

According to Canada’s foreign ministry, the ministers discussed the growing momentum in the bilateral relationship following the conclusion of the CEPA negotiations and the UAE’s participation in the Canadian investment summit.

They also discussed the next steps toward a strategic partnership and opportunities to expand trade and investment.

The discussions also included regional security.

Anand expressed Canada’s solidarity with the UAE and other Gulf partners following attacks in the region and condemned Iranian strikes against the UAE and vessels belonging to Abu Dhabi National Oil Company.

The ministers agreed to maintain close contact.

Dhillon’s experience with international affairs

Although Dhillon’s career has been primarily rooted in Canadian politics and government, his previous positions have involved considerable international engagement.

Global Affairs Canada says that while working for Carney, he supported efforts to rebuild and strengthen Canada’s bilateral relationships with countries including India and China.

Before that, as chief of staff to cabinet ministers, he participated in work connected with major international forums.

That experience includes Canada’s engagement with the G7 and G20, the United Nations General Assembly, APEC, the International Transport Forum and the Conference of the Parties.

His appointment therefore comes with experience in both domestic government operations and international policy engagement.

His role under Prime Minister Carney

Dhillon’s recent position in Carney’s office placed him close to the prime minister’s policy and stakeholder-management operations.

As Director of Operations and Stakeholder Relations, he was involved in coordinating relationships between the government and outside stakeholders.

Global Affairs Canada says he also helped coordinate incoming investment commitments and contributed to planning Canada’s first national Investment Summit.

His work on international relationships was particularly relevant as Carney’s government sought to diversify Canada’s economic and diplomatic partnerships.

That experience is now being transferred to a diplomatic posting.

What an ambassador does

As Canada’s ambassador to the UAE, Dhillon will become the country’s senior diplomatic representative in the Emirates.

His responsibilities will include representing the Canadian government to UAE authorities, supporting bilateral relations, helping advance Canadian economic and commercial interests and working with Canadian officials and businesses operating in the country.

He will also be involved in diplomatic discussions concerning regional and international issues affecting Canada and the UAE.

The ambassador serves as an important link between the Canadian government and the host country’s government.

For Canada, the Abu Dhabi posting is particularly significant because of the UAE’s economic importance and its wider role in the Gulf and Middle East.

A changing Canadian foreign-policy environment

Dhillon’s appointment also comes as Canada is reassessing how it manages its international relationships.

The government has increasingly emphasized economic diversification, investment attraction and stronger relationships with countries outside Canada’s traditional economic partners.

That approach has become particularly relevant as Canada navigates a difficult trade relationship with the United States and looks for additional markets for Canadian companies.

The UAE offers opportunities in sectors including investment, energy, infrastructure, technology, financial services and other areas of commercial cooperation.

The newly negotiated economic partnership agreement could provide additional opportunities once it enters into force.

Dhillon replaces Radha Krishna Panday

Dhillon will replace Radha Krishna Panday, who has served as Canada’s ambassador to the UAE.

The change is part of a broader diplomatic reshuffle announced by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand.

At the same time, Canada appointed Carmen Sorger as its next Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Cuba, replacing Marianick Tremblay.

The appointments reflect Ottawa’s continuing effort to place experienced officials in senior diplomatic positions around the world.

What comes next

Dhillon’s move to Abu Dhabi comes as Canada and the UAE prepare to build on several agreements and diplomatic initiatives reached during 2026.

The immediate priorities are likely to include strengthening the implementation of the new economic partnership framework, encouraging investment and expanding commercial links between Canadian and UAE businesses.

He will also operate in a region where security and geopolitical issues remain major diplomatic concerns.

The UAE has become an important partner for Canada in the Gulf, and recent meetings between senior Canadian and Emirati officials indicate that both governments are interested in expanding the relationship beyond traditional diplomatic engagement.

For Dhillon, the appointment represents a transition from working directly inside the Prime Minister’s Office to representing Canada overseas.

For Canada, it places a senior government official with experience in political operations, international engagement and investment coordination at the centre of one of Ottawa’s increasingly important relationships in the Middle East.

His appointment is expected to further Canada’s diplomatic presence in Abu Dhabi as Ottawa seeks to deepen economic, investment and strategic ties with the UAE.