Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Argentina, Ecuador, and Peru

Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez will travel to Argentina, Ecuador, and Peru from August 21-29 to engage key partners in the Western Hemisphere on critical minerals supply chains and developments in the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, and to promote trade and economic opportunities with the United States.

In Argentina, Under Secretary Fernandez will lead a delegation from the Department of State and the Department of Energy, meeting with officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Office of the Chief of Cabinet, and Secretariat of Finance, as well as representatives from the Argentine and U.S. private sectors on August 22. At the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he will sign a memorandum of understanding on Critical Minerals on behalf of the United States.

Under Secretary Fernandez will open the U.S.-Argentina Energy Security Dialogue and hold meetings with provincial government officials and private sector representatives about opportunities for cooperation on critical minerals supply chains and broader economic cooperation with the region, including a Minerals Security Partnership Direct Line event.

Under Secretary Fernandez will then visit Quito, Ecuador, for meetings with private sector representatives, including the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the American Chamber of Commerce. He will deliver opening remarks at the 10^th AmeriGEO conference hosted by Ecuador's National Secretariat for Risk Management and Geographic Military Institute. He will also co-host a roundtable discussion with U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador Art Brown. Under Secretary Fernandez and Ambassador Brown will discuss key regional economic opportunities with the Ministries of Energy and Mining, Finance, and Production. Under Secretary Fernandez will also visit an agricultural business advancing sustainable farming initiatives.

Under Secretary Fernandez will visit Lima, Peru from August 28-29. He will join a series of discussions on the economic, investment, and infrastructure climate in Peru with groups convened by the BCIU. Peru's Ambassador to the United States Alfredo Ferrero, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Peruvian Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation officials will also participate. Under Secretary Fernandez and Ambassador Ferrero will join in commemorating the 15th Anniversary of the U.S.-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement.

Under Secretary Fernandez will join Ambassador Syptak-Ramnath and Ambassador Ferrero in conversations with officials from the ministries of Economy and Finance, Energy and Mines, Foreign Trade and Tourism, and Transport and Telecommunications to highlight the benefits of bilateral cooperation. Under Secretary Fernandez will also join a U.S. Department of Agriculture roundtable discussion on the intersection of clean energy and sustainable agriculture.

To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X:@State_E, LinkedIn:@State-E, and Facebook:@StateDeptE. For further media information and opportunities to join events that are open to press or scheduled roundtable interviews, please contact [email protected].