27 June 2017, Rome - FAO and Uruguay will work together on South-South and Triangular Cooperation programs to strengthen agricultural development, agribusiness and food security in African countries, contributing to the overall achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An agreement signed today by FAO Director General José Graziano da Silva and the Uruguayan Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries Tabaré Aguerre, lays the foundation to build on the experience the Uruguayan International Cooperation Agency (AUCI) has gained in technical cooperation and capacity building in Latin America and the Caribbean, extending it to the benefit of African countries and other regions of the world.

Graziano da Silva noted the progress made by Uruguay, which has steadily progressed in its own fight against hunger since 1992. The country regularly produces food surpluses and is a key regional player in the areas of food traceability and sustainable agricultural intensification.

Both South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC), a new development approach which FAO promotes, have proven effective in creating jobs, building infrastructure and promoting trade in countries across the global South. Their aim is to foster a broader range of collaboration among developing countries and offer a complementary model to the traditional relationship between donors and recipients.

Uruguay, a key partner in South-South Cooperation

In 2015, Uruguay was chosen by FAO as one of the emerging countries with the potential to become a strategic partner in South-South Cooperation for its recognized capacity in the promotion of sustainable agriculture and food security, as well as for its political will to share successful experiences with other countries with related development needs.

That same year, Uruguay became one of the three pilot countries - along with China and Argentina- of FAO’s South-South Cooperation Gateway. The country participates in the innovative platform through the National Seed Institute (INASE), the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INIA) and the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture, and Fisheries (MGAP).

Under the new agreement, FAO and Uruguay will carry out joint initiatives over the next four years, including the exchange of experts, capacity building through seminars and workshops, and the exchange of successful programmes that may serve as models for other countries. 

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Photo gallery

VIDEO: Remarks by Uruguay's Ambassador to Italy, Gastón Lasarte, on the occasion of the agreement signature: