RIYADH: When Mario Lubetkin stepped off the plane in Riyadh this week, it marked the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
The South American nation’s minister of foreign affairs had come on a mission of singular purpose — to sign a long-awaited memorandum of understanding that could redefine economic ties between the two nations.
“First of all, I think that you need to take into consideration that this is the first visit of a minister of foreign affairs in 11 years,” Lubetkin told Arab News at the Embassy of Uruguay in Riyadh. “I think that shows how important that is for us to come.”
On the sidelines of the 9th Future Investment Initiative, Lubetkin signed the MoU with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Investment Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih — a landmark agreement designed to boost investment flows and deepen bilateral cooperation.
“I came directly from my country, from Uruguay, from Montevideo, on the other side of the world,” Lubetkin said, reflecting on the long journey. It was not a multi-stop regional tour or a diplomatic courtesy call — Riyadh was the sole destination.
