Uruguay is keen to enter into tie-ups with Qatar for investments in agriculture and other potential areas to develop bilateral partnerships, says visiting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay Luis Almagro.
“Relations between Uruguay and Qatar are new, in the international context and we are looking for more cooperation and investments from Qatar,” said Almagro, yesterday.
The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani held discussions with the Uruguay Foreign Minister Almagro and his accompanying delegation.
H E Abdullah bin Mubarak Aboud Al Meedadi, Minister of Environment, also held discussions with the Uruguay foreign minister on potential areas for cooperation.
Discussions at the meeting were focused on bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them, especially in the trade and investment areas. Uruguay is seeking Qatari investments in agriculture, environment and sports fields.
“We had discussions about the agreements to be signed in the future; this meeting was an instrument to begin cooperation,” said Almagro, speaking at a press conference held at the Uruguay embassy in Doha.
Qatar and Uruguay will soon sign two agreements on investment protection and import taxes before beginning trade between the two countries.
“Those two agreements are very important,” said Almagro.
“We are also cooperating in areas like environment, agriculture and dealing with lots of possibilities for investment related to slaughter houses, breeding cattle, sheep and on rice mills,” said Almagro.
Discussions have also focused on enhancing ties on sports. “We spoke a lot on sports cooperation which is a very important field to cooperate,” Almagro said.
He also noted that Andrés Sebastián Soria Quintana, a football player representing Qatar, was a Uruguay national.
Qatar and Uruguay last year signed agreements on economic and trade and technical and cultural cooperation as well as a memoranda of understanding in tourism and sports fields.
There are around 20 Uruguay nationals living in Qatar and Minister Almagro attended a reception held to interact with his countrymen here.
Source: The Peninsula Qatar