By Veronika Buta: The President of Belarus considers it necessary to have a plan of action for the near future and to rebuild relations between Belarus and Ecuador. This statement was made by Alexander Lukashenko at a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador – María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés.
Certain joint projects had to be put on pause due to the difficult economic situation in Ecuador. But this year has seen a noticeable increase in the turnover – it has reached nearly 45 million dollars. So far, Belarus buys more than it sells. Ecuador has high demand in Belarusian fertilizers, food, and oil products.
The two countries have no doubt that trade and economic cooperation should form the basis of a roadmap of the two countries. Ecuador is a Latin American country that is crucial for building relations with the entire region. Alexander Lukashenko also noted that the two countries have good political relations, and their positions on the international agenda are similar. Minsk and Quito cooperate constructively in all international organizations.
Particularly, the distinguished guest noted the role of the country in the UN in the fight against human trafficking and in matters of international security.
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador: "Trade and economic cooperation is the main place in relations with Belarus. Much has been done, but we can improve further. This year, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. This is a key moment to make a kind of restart of relations and give them a new momentum."
The President of Belarus suggested working in a traditional format. That is to say, not to try to cover everything at once, rather to identify the priorities – about 5 or 6 main directions for which specific projects will be implemented in the future. To begin with, the two countries need to build a reliable basis for the cooperation. The Foreign Minister supported the idea of the Belarusian leader and even offered several prospective projects, including one in the automobile industry.
María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador: "Belarus has made a great contribution to the development of the oil sector in Ecuador. We see the potential in the sphere of energy and agriculture. We are interested in signing a comprehensive cooperation agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union. Belarus plays a very important role within this regional integration bloc, including in the development of relations with Ecuador."
This is the second visit of María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés to Belarus. Previously, she had visited the country as the Defence Minister of Ecuador. Today, they recalled the visit and noted that largely thanks to that meeting, the bilateral military-technical cooperation was established. But today's conversation in the Palace of Independence, the parties hope, will become the basis for swift negotiations at the highest level. In the meantime, the two countries have time to take into account the mistakes of the past and to audit the joint projects.
