NewsBilateral meeting with Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay
Meeting highlights INBAR’s role in strengthening the development of Uruguay’s bamboo industry.
On 20 May 2025, Prof. Jiang Zehui, Co-Chair of the INBAR Board of Trustees, met with H.E. Mr. Luis Alfredo Fratti Silveira, Minister of the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay and his delegation at INBAR Headquarters in Beijing.
Jiang first congratulated Fratti on his new appointment, welcomed him and his delegation to INBAR Headquarters and expressed deep condolences for the death of former Uruguayan President H.E. José Mujica. She next introduced the history of INBAR and its fruitful partnership with Uruguay. Jiang said that INBAR was the first intergovernmental organization headquartered in China. It currently has 52 Member States, is an important South-South cooperation platform and enjoys permanent observer status across many UN bodies. The Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay has always maintained close communication with the INBAR Secretariat, playing a key role in advocating for Uruguay to join INBAR. INBAR is willing to strengthen cooperation with the new government of Uruguay in all aspects. It is believed that in the next few years, this cooperation will substantially facilitate the development of Uruguay’s bamboo industry, and at the same time make positive contributions to the sustainable development of the society, economy and environment of Latin America as a whole.
Fratti expressed his gratitude to INBAR for its warm reception of the Uruguayan delegation on multiple occasions. Uruguay’s accession represents another milestone in deepening its comprehensive strategic partnership with China, a partnership which will facilitate greater technology exchange and professional cooperation. Household agricultural production is one of the economic pillars of Uruguay, and the development and utilization of bamboo resources is an effective way to help small farmers improve their livelihoods. Uruguay is firmly committed to the sustainable development of natural resources and is actively exploring new methods to replace plastics with bamboo. He also went on to say that the Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic (BASP) Initiative has opened the door for Uruguay to take the path of economic diversification and environmentally friendly development. He ended by mentioning that he looked forward to INBAR carrying out more bamboo and rattan projects in Uruguay and wished the upcoming 13th Session of the INBAR Council to be a complete success.
H.E. Mr. Fernando Lugris, Ambassador of Uruguay to China, Ms. Li Lan, INBAR Director of External Relations and Partnerships, and other relevant stakeholders also attended the meeting. After the meeting, the delegation visited the B&R exhibition hall.
