MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lubetkin foresees shift in trade difficulties for Uruguay

Lubetkin also hoped that in the case of a controversy with Argentina over the installation of a green hydrogen plant

Uruguay's Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin projected Thursday a major shift in the world's trade landscape, in which his country would need to focus on what to sell instead of to whom, given the surge of 31 tariff-free nations by 2026. Speaking to FocoUy, he framed the emerging trade environment as “practically entering a free trade area” with key global blocs.

“Until now, the main question was which markets we were going to access,” Lubetkin stated. “Now the question is what we will use to access the markets that have opened up to us and whether we will have the capacity to cover those markets.” Additionally, he mentioned Uruguay's trade presence in Asia and the Middle East, specifically citing ongoing negotiations with ASEAN, China, India, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, with a high-level delegation from an unnamed country due in Montevideo “next week” at a vice-presidential level.

In a separate interview, Lubetkin addressed a potential conflict with Argentina over the installation of a Green Hydrogen Plant in Paysandú, Uruguay -on Uruguayan soil- following last weekend's protests in the neighboring country's province of Entre Ríos, which brought back memories of the highly contentious 2006 pulp mill conflict between the two countries.

The Argentine demonstrators opposed the projected US$6 billion green hydrogen megaplant by the company HIF Global, warning that it posed significant environmental and tourism risks.

Lubetkin pointed out that officials from both nations agreed not to repeat the conflict that defined the 2006 dispute. “No more blocked bridges,” he said. That is “very clear on both sides.” The plant “will not be against anyone or anything,” he added. In case of controversy, the minister hoped that “technical and scientific serenity prevails.”