The representative of International Relations of the Government of the Province of Salta, Julio Argentinian San Millanheld a virtual meeting with executives of the United States Chamber of Commerce’sU.S. – Argentina Business Council (USABC), within the framework of a rapprochement that the Chamber seeks to establish with the Provinces of Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca, members of the Lithium Roundtable.
The Business Council’s mission is to foster a solid economic and commercial relationship between the United States and Argentina, identifying challenges and proposing solutions to the problems that hinder it, which is why this first approach was carried out with Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca.
The executive director mentioned the priority areas for the United States Business Council, which are trade, innovation and energy (critical minerals), all of which are feasible for working together with the provinces of the NOA, generating agreements in various strategic areas.
For his part, San Millán explained that our Province already maintains significant ties with the North American country, having carried out over the last few years rapprochements between different government agencies, protocol visits and trade missions both to the United States and vice versa, highlighting among them the Mission to Salta of the US Ambassador in Argentina, Marc Stanley, in which the Salta-United States Friendship Group was formed.
He also explained that Salta has trade relations with the United States, with a wide portfolio of products: gold (which makes up a high percentage of exports), lithium carbonates, lithium chlorides, lemon juice, tobacco and sugar, fresh lemons, calcium borates, beans, sesame seeds, lemon essential oils and sodium chloride, among others.
He also mentioned that there are numerous US investments in the Province, some of them in conjunction with capital from other countries, with the most notable being Livent companies such as FMC Lithium; FMC Corporation (Minera Argentina del Altiplano); Massalin Particulares SA, a subsidiary of the multinational company Philips Morris; Bodega Piattelli; Seaboard Energía Renovables y Alimentos; Golden Minerals Company; Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp; Rio Tinto, through its Rincon Lithium project; and Lithium Americas Corp, which is currently developing a project in Jujuy but also has interests in Salta; among others.
Finally, the International Relations Representative highlighted that the three provinces work synergistically in different areas and there is an excellent relationship and harmony at the governmental level. In this regard, he mentioned that Salta and Jujuy share one of the brightest areas in the world, having enormous potential in renewable energy; in addition to integrating the Bioceanic Corridor of Capricorn or North, which is a priority for the international projection of both Provinces, since it allows them to reach the markets of Asia Pacific and the west coast of the United States, leaving through the deepwater ports of Chile. In addition, together with Catamarca, the three subnational governments make up the Lithium Roundtable, currently chaired by the Governor of the Province of Salta, Dr. Gustavo Saénz, which constitutes an initiative to unify criteria and operating regulations, improve the conditions of the mining sector, add value and boost the economic development of the three provinces.
The Council members expressed interest in continuing to promote bilateral relations, as well as at a regional level, with the aim of gaining an in-depth understanding of the international relations priorities of Salta, Jujuy and Catamarca in order to explore opportunities for public-private cooperation in support of socioeconomic growth and development of the territories, based on the strategic role of these provinces in terms of critical and essential minerals for the global energy transition, strengthening ties with the United States in this and other areas.
USABC was represented by Executive Director Isabel Quiroz; Senior Advisor Shunko Rojas; and Advisor Hernán Frenkel; and US Chamber by Coordinator for America Cole Matino. The Secretary for Regional Integration and International Relations of Jujuy, Pablo Palomares, and the Secretary for International Relations of the Province of Catamarca, Elena Herrera, were present on behalf of the provinces.
