QUITO, Feb 23 (NNN-PRENSA LATINA) — Ecuador and the European Union (EU) signed a memorandum of understanding in this capital to promote and strengthen cooperation on security in this Andean country.
The Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry reported that the project has an investment of more than 2.1 million euros and is part of the commitments reached at the 1st Technical Roundtable on Security Issues, held on Dec 3-4, 2024.
The Ecuadorian Government explained that the initiative is financed through the EU’s Foreign Policy Instrument (FPI) and will be implemented by Expertise France, a French public agency in charge of technological cooperation projects.
The memorandum provides the legal framework to implement collaboration with various Ecuadorian institutions, promoting cooperation and efficiency in their joint actions, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility added.
The project includes key activities such as training, technological improvements and technical visits to international reference centers. Foreign Minister Gabriela Sommerfeld explained that one of the goals is to strengthen the exchange of information and intelligence that ensures maritime routes in both the Atlantic and the South Pacific.
EU Ambassador Jekaterina Dorodnova, in turn, said that it is a sign of the commitment of the European bloc to address common transnational and global problems such as drug trafficking.
Ecuador’s ports are one of the main drug outlets to Europe and the United States, as mafias often hide drugs under the guise of exports. Drug trafficking is also one of the main causes of the security crisis in this South American nation, where more than 1,000 violent deaths have already been reported this year. — NNN-PRENSA LATINA
