President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conveyed his congratulations to President Yamandú Orsi while highlighting the strong bonds between the two nations that have developed over more than four decades of diplomatic engagement. The Emirates News Agency reported that His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan each dispatched parallel messages to the Uruguayan leader marking the annual observance. Uruguay observes its Independence Day every August 25 to commemorate its separation from Brazil in 1825, an event that carries particular resonance in 2025 as the bicentennial year.
Bilateral ties between the UAE and Uruguay have expanded steadily since the establishment of formal relations, encompassing cooperation in trade, investment and multilateral forums. A statement carried by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted the leaders’ wishes for continued prosperity for the Uruguayan people and further advancement of mutual interests. The exchange of such messages forms part of the UAE’s regular diplomatic practice with friendly states on their national days.
United Nations COMTRADE data places UAE exports to Uruguay at $31.47 million in 2024, led by essential oils, perfumes and cosmetics valued at $24.05 million. The same figures show UAE imports from Uruguay reached $44.58 million that year, dominated by wood pulp, dairy products and meat. These flows illustrate the complementary nature of the two economies, with the Gulf state supplying manufactured goods and the South American nation providing agricultural and resource-based items.
In November 2024, President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First-Class Medal of Independence on the outgoing Uruguayan ambassador to the UAE in recognition of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated at the time that the UAE remained committed to broadening ties across economic and cultural domains. Such gestures underscore the consistent high-level attention both governments devote to their partnership.
Uruguay’s economy continues to rely heavily on agricultural exports, which according to a World Trade Organization review accounted for 66.6 percent of the country’s total exports in 2024. The UAE, by contrast, recorded non-oil foreign trade of Dh3 trillion in 2024, reflecting its own diversification drive that has included expanded partnerships across Latin America. Officials from both sides have previously explored opportunities in food security, renewable energy and technology exchange to build on the existing commercial foundation.
The latest messages arrive as the UAE maintains an active diplomatic calendar, with similar Independence Day greetings extended to leaders of other nations in recent weeks. Yamandú Orsi assumed the Uruguayan presidency earlier in 2025, opening a new chapter in which both countries have signaled intent to explore fresh avenues of collaboration. The correspondence reaffirms the UAE’s approach of nurturing relations with partners across the Global South through consistent engagement at the highest levels.
