Bilateral Meeting with H.E. Yamandú Orsi, President of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay

Montevideo – During his official visit to Uruguay, FAO Director-General, Dr QU Dongyu, met with the President of the Republic, His Excellency Yamandú Orsi. 

The President welcomed the Director-General and praised the strategic alliance between FAO and Uruguay, which is a founding Member Nation. He valued FAO's programme of work and Uruguay's active involvement in the Organization’s initiatives, which has strengthened a results-oriented partnership. He shared that Uruguay was taking on leadership roles in the international arena, such as in the G77, CELAC and MERCOSUR, and that his administration planned to make food security a top priority for his country and the region. The President also mentioned that Uruguay was focused on making technological, water and irrigation progress with a view to maximizing the country’s comparative advantage in agriculture and livestock.

The Director-General thanked President Orsi, saying that he was honoured by this opportunity to meet with him in Montevideo. He also thanked the President for his continued support of the Organization through Uruguay’s active participation in the work of FAO. He underscored the importance of fostering market integration and stated that FAO was ready to assist Uruguay in increasing productivity and promoting innovation. He mentioned priority areas to focus on going forward, such as soil restoration, improving the livestock value-chain and building capacity in the ground.

Additionally, the Director-General encouraged Uruguay to maintain its forward-looking approach to development, assuring the President that the country could count on FAO in support of resource mobilization and technical cooperation.

Both parties agreed to continue transforming agrifood systems and fostering sustainable development, leaving no one behind. President Orsi was accompanied by H.E. Mario Lubetkin, Minister for Foreign Affairs.