Uruguayan Ambassador Carlos A. Mora underlined the close diplomatic relationship between his country and the Kingdom.

“The two countries are bound by excellent ties but there is a need to make the relationship stronger,” he told Arab News.

He said that Uruguay had been working early on to make the bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia stronger, adding that President Tadare Vazquez visited the Kingdom in 2008. Vasquez served from 2005 to 2010 but won re-election recently.

Mora said that both countries could benefit from each other through close collaboration.

“Our exports to the Kingdom include meat amounting to $8 million and our imports, mainly fertilizer, cross $13 million,” the Uruguayan ambassador said.

He added that Uruguay could help Saudi Arabia as far as food is concerned since his country has great agricultural potential.

“Our population is about 3.5 million but we can produce food for a population of 28 million,” he said.

As far as foreign investment is concerned, Uruguay has great potential and offers many incentives to businessmen, such as free repatriation of capital.

Mora invited residents of the Kingdom to visit Uruguay for its tourists attractions.

He recently called on Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities (SCTA), to discuss issues of mutual interests, such as tourism promotion in Saudi Arabia as well as in Uruguay.