Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Almagro met with Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin and Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on Wednesday to enhance ties between the Kingdom and the Latin American country.

Almagro was welcomed in Riyadh on Tuesday and left for Jordan from Jeddah after meeting with the Saudi leadership, said Carlos Mora, Uruguay’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

“The bilateral meeting was very forward-looking and highly conducive to enhancing ties between the two countries,” Mora told Arab News. “The ministers from both sides focused on political consultation among them.”

The envoy said that they discussed several issues related to political, economic, cultural and social ties between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.

The Kingdom is seeking to strengthen foreign agricultural investments in a bid to raise food security in the Middle East and across the world. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has taken on an initiative for Saudi agricultural investment abroad to strengthen the country’s position, which experts say will help secure greater international food security.

Uruguay, one of the fastest developing economies in South America, has shown interest in enhancing ties with the Kingdom, particularly in the agricultural and livestock fields.

According to an official at the Council of Saudi Chambers, the volume of trade between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay is estimated to be worth SR51 million, with scope for more extensive trading. “The two sides discussed various ways and means to enhance cooperation in the political, economic and cultural fields during the meeting,” said Mora. “A memorandum of understanding (MoU) for political consultation between the foreign ministries was also signed during the meeting between the foreign ministers.”

Mora said that a general accord of cooperation between the ministries of agriculture in the two countries was also signed.

"We are stressing the importance of seeking mechanisms to further enhance relations and evoke information exchange between the two countries," he said.

The minister revealed that his country plans to explore Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) markets due to the vast opportunities in the region.