WASHINGTON—U.S.
Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez today announced he
will travel to Uruguay October 8-9 to
discuss with senior government officials and the business
community ways to promote greater bilateral trade, economic
growth and opportunity and to foster greater commercial
cooperation between the United States and Uruguay.
The Secretary will follow-up
on the President’s March 2007 visit to emphasize the
commitment the United States has to President Vázquez’s
Administration and to expanding the partnership with Uruguay.
“The United States is committed to
advancing freedom, economic opportunity and social justice
throughout the Western Hemisphere by opening markets and
fostering economic growth,” said Gutierrez. “I
look forward to traveling to Uruguay and Brazil to discuss
our greater commercial cooperation and expanding our common
goals and objectives.”
The Secretary will meet with
President Tabaré Vázquez to discuss ways to
deepen the economic trade relationship between the United
States and Uruguay. Gutierrez will also meet with Uruguayan
entrepreneurs from the high-tech and software sectors, as
well as the leadership of Uruguay’s newly-created
Innovation Agency to discuss regional efforts to foster
innovation. This will be the Secretary’s first trip
to Uruguay.
“Uruguay is a dynamic trading partner,”
said Gutierrez. “U.S. exports to Uruguay grew a remarkable
131 percent—from $209 million in 2002 to $482 million
in 2006—outperforming overall U.S. export growth,
which was 14 percent for the same period. I look forward
to continuing our efforts to build on the great successes
we have already accomplished.”
The United States is Uruguay’s third-largest
trading partner, accounting for 12.8 percent of Uruguay’s
exports and supplying 6.8 percent of the country’s
imports in 2006. Uruguay-U.S. bilateral trade has more than
doubled since 2002, rising $583 million to $995 million
in two-way trade in 2006.
>Official Biography of Secretary Guiterrez
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