Asunción, Agencia IP.- President Santiago Peña met last Monday with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Israel, Gideon Sa’ar, as part of a visit that reaffirms the alliance between Paraguay and Israel. The President reiterated the commitment to continue expanding cooperation in strategic areas for the development of both nations.
«This visit reaffirms the excellent moment of our bilateral relations and our commitment,» President Peña said after receiving the Israeli foreign minister at the presidential residence, Mburuvicha Róga.
Later, at the Paraguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sa’ar took part in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Paraguayan and Israeli Ministries of Defense, aimed at mutual collaboration.
During the ceremony, the Israeli Foreign Minister stated that Paraguay is one of Israel’s greatest friends and that these relations are based not only on interests but also on shared values. In this regard, he thanked President Santiago Peña for his decision to move Paraguay’s embassy to Jerusalem last December. «We are deeply grateful to Paraguay for this historic move,» he said.
He also highlighted Paraguay’s expanded designation of terrorist organizations, which now includes Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. «I congratulate Paraguay on this historic move and encourage other nations to follow its example,” he said.
He further praised Paraguay’s moral stance, demonstrated many times through statements of support for Israel following the terrorist attack of October 7, 2023. «We are grateful for Paraguay’s consistent and constant moral support, and we take it very seriously,» he added.
A bright future for Paraguay
Highlighting the South American nation’s solid economic performance, Sa’ar noted that his visit is an expression of Israel’s confidence in Paraguay’s bright future. He mentioned that his delegation is composed of businesspeople, company representatives, and leaders of economic organizations, and that Israel intends to continue strengthening cooperation in water technologies, cybersecurity technologies, and other fields in which both countries already work together.
«Israeli companies are expressing interest in the Paraguayan market. Our goal is to bring these companies here and expand our mutual investments,» he said.
Ongoing and supportive contribution
For his part, Paraguayan Foreign Minister Rubén Ramírez Lezcano reaffirmed the deep bonds of friendship and cooperation that have historically characterized the bilateral relationship between Paraguay and Israel and reiterated «the firmest support for Israel’s right to defend its sovereignty and security.»
«We also want to express our gratitude for the ongoing and supportive contribution between the State of Israel and Paraguay in the joint work we carry out in the multilateral system, aimed at strengthening it and upholding the values we share,» he said.
He affirmed that the opening of the Paraguayan embassy in Jerusalem reflects the commitment of President Santiago Peña’s administration to strengthening relations with Israel and achieving jointly pursued objectives.
«We will continue deepening bilateral cooperation for the benefit of our countries. We will also work in both governmental and private sectors so we can explore the full potential of our economic and commercial relations,» he added.