The 6th round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between India and Uruguay took place on September 16, 2024, in Montevideo. The Indian delegation was led by Mr. Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs of India, while the Uruguayan delegation was headed by Mr. Nicolas Albertoni, Vice Foreign Minister of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay.
The previous round of consultations was held in March 2023 in New Delhi, the MEA stated in an official press release.
The discussions focused on a comprehensive review of the progress in bilateral relations and explored new areas of cooperation. Key sectors under consideration included Trade and Investment, Information & Communication Technology, Railways, Ayurveda and Yoga, Development Cooperation, Health and Pharma, Agriculture, and Consular issues.
Both sides also reviewed their collaboration within multilateral institutions and exchanged views on various regional and global issues of common interest.
A significant outcome of the meeting was the conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Gainful Employment of Relatives of Diplomats. The MoU was signed by Mr. Dinesh Bhatia, Ambassador of India to Argentina & Uruguay, and Mr. Nicolas Albertoni, Uruguayan Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
This agreement aims to facilitate employment opportunities for the relatives of diplomats, thereby strengthening bilateral ties, as per the press release.
Both delegations expressed satisfaction with the progress made in their relations and agreed to explore new avenues for cooperation.
It was decided to schedule the next round of Foreign Office Consultations at a mutually convenient date, underscoring the commitment of both nations to continue enhancing their partnership.
During the visit, Secretary (East) Mr. Jaideep Mazumdar also met with the Foreign Minister of Uruguay, Omar Paganini, to further discuss and reinforce the strategic aspects of their bilateral relationship. The consultations reaffirmed the ongoing commitment of both India and Uruguay to strengthen their diplomatic and economic ties.
