MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay/US sign renewable energy memorandum

Minister Fernandez and Secretary Shannon signing the Memorandum

United States and Uruguay signed Wednesday in Washington a memorandum to advance bilateral cooperation on renewable energy and energy efficiency. The document was signed by Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Thomas A. Shannon and Uruguayan Foreign Affairs Minister Gonzalo Fernández

The MOU highlights the fundamental role energy plays in development, and commits both governments to promote exchanges, research and development, and stimulate private sector investment and business collaboration on renewable energy and energy efficiency. The agreement also creates a binational working group that will review energy related issues. Assistant Secretary Shannon and Foreign Minister Fernández noted that the MOU builds on existing bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, economic development, and science and technology. This includes interaction between US academic institutions and Uruguayan government officials and scientists in the area of biofuels, as well as the support of the US Departments of State and Agriculture for several US biofuels experts to visit Uruguay to promote research opportunities and academic exchanges. In his address to the United Nations General Assembly last week Minister Fernandez had emphasized that one of the most crucial challenges facing the world economy was the energy crisis and in this issue "Latinamerica required technological cooperation from developed countries". Regarding the development of alternative energies such as bio-energy and bio-fuels, the Uruguayan minister said research and technical assistance were critical to take advantage of opportunities offered by that production without affecting food security or the environment.