Secretary Kerry hosted Uruguayan President Mujica at the Department of State today. The visit highlighted our bilateral partnership and focused on ways we can expand our cooperation on trade, social inclusion, educational exchanges, and global peace and security.

Recognizing the shared democratic, multiracial and multiethnic characteristics of U.S. and Uruguayan societies, our governments concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to Promote Racial, Ethnic and Social Equality. Through the MOU, we will deepen our cooperation and exchange best practices to promote our shared belief that equality of opportunity for all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or disability, is vital to fostering an environment of peace, democracy, and prosperity throughout the world.

In an effort to increase English language learning in Uruguay, a mutually beneficial objective that further strengthens our relationship, the United States supports expanding a teacher exchange program to send 30 Uruguayan English teachers to the United States this year to live and work with U.S. teachers for several weeks. This program will further strengthen ties between the educators of our two countries and strengthen English teaching in Uruguay. The United States also looks forward to working with Uruguay on an expanded Fulbright Program.

Additionally, we will continue to work with Uruguay to help stimulate entrepreneurial culture there by supporting Uruguay’s National Agency for Research and Investigation’s national entrepreneurship incubator. By bringing some of our own entrepreneurs to Uruguay to participate, we can share best practices and create links for future cooperation.