MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Japan extends grant to Uruguay for solar power development

The announcement was made by Foreign Affairs minister Katsuya Okada office

Japan is extending Uruguay a grant of 8.5 million US dollars to finance a solar power project, according to official Japanese sources. Japan’s Foreign Affairs minister Katsuya Okada and his Uruguayan counterpart Pedro Vaz signed the document Monday.

Mr. Vaz is in Japan as part of the Uruguayan delegation headed by President Tabare Vazquez on an official visit to Japan.

According to the terms of the document the financing includes the panels and transformer which convert solar energy into power with the purpose of cutting on fossil fuels greenhouse gas emissions as well as promote knowledge and use of renewable energies among the Uruguayan population.

Minister Okada said he was certain the grant would help “to support and advance” Uruguay’s alternative energies program taking advantage of the natural resources available to Uruguay.

Minister Vaz thanked Japan for its standing cooperation and said that Uruguay’s target in the next few years is to have 15% of energy consumed from renewable sources.

Okada said Japan was hopeful that world leaders could reach a positive accord in the current Climate Change summit taking place in Copenhagen. He underlined that Japan is committed to cutting gas emissions 25% by the year 2020, based on 1990 levels.

The Uruguayan minister called for closer cooperation in bilateral trade affairs particularly in opening the Japanese market to Uruguayan beef.

Finally both countries agreed on the need to introduce reforms in the workings of the United Nations Security Council, not only referred to membership but also to its internal functioning.