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Foreign relations of Ecuador

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This article describes the diplomatic affairs, foreign policy and international relations of Ecuador.

Ecuador is a founding member of the UN and a member of many of its specialized agencies; it is also a member of the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as many regional groups, including the Rio Group, the Latin American Economic System, the Latin American Energy Organization, the Latin American Integration Association, and the Andean Pact.[1]

Ecuador's principal foreign-policy objectives have traditionally included defense of its territory from both external aggression and internal subversion as well as support for the objectives of the UN and the OAS. Although Ecuador's foreign relations were traditionally centered on the United States, Ecuador's membership in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the 1970s and 1980s allowed Ecuadorian leaders to exercise somewhat greater foreign policy autonomy. Ecuador's foreign policy goals under the Borja government in the late 1980s were more diversified than those of the Febres Cordero administration, which closely identified with the United States. For example, Ecuador was more active in its relations with the Third World, multilateral organizations, Western Europe, and socialist countries.[2]

Ecuador has offered humanitarianian aid to many countries, is a supporter of the United Nations, and currently contributes troops to the UN mission in Haiti. Ecuador has also been an elective member of the UN Security Council.

In Antarctica, Ecuador has maintained a peaceful research station for scientific study in the British-claimed territory and is a member nation of the Antarctica Treaty.

Domestic politics

Further information: Foreign policy of Rafael Correa

The presidency of Rafael Correa in the early 21st century saw a radical change in the country's foreign policy. Traditional ties with the United States grew more acrimonious and there were increased ties with the governments of Russia and Iran.[3] The relations with the United States, however, improved significantly during the presidency of his successor Lenin Moreno since 2017.[4]

List

List of countries which Ecuador maintains diplomatic relations with:

More information #, Country ...
# Country Date
1 Peru 26 September 1831[5]
2 Colombia 10 February 1832[6]
3 Chile 26 April 1835[7]
4 Venezuela 18 August 1835[8]
— Mexico (suspended) 15 November 1837[7][9]
5 Spain 16 February 1840[10]
6 Bolivia 7 April 1842[11]
7 Brazil 22 November 1844[12][13]
8 France 12 February 1848[14]
9 United States 12 August 1848[15]
10 United Kingdom 29 January 1853[16]
11 Netherlands 12 May 1872[17]
— Holy See 6 August 1877[18]
12 Belgium 16 July 1879[19]
13 Paraguay 15 December 1880[20]
14 Costa Rica 26 October 1885[21]
15 Guatemala 26 October 1885[22]
— Nicaragua (suspended) 26 October 1885[23][24]
16 Uruguay 15 December 1887[25]
17  Switzerland 22 June 1888[26][27]
18 El Salvador 29 March 1890[28]
19 Honduras 1896[29]
20 Italy 12 August 1900[30]
21 Argentina 27 March 1903[31]
22 Cuba 24 April 1903[32]
23 Panama 1 September 1908[33]
24 Japan 26 August 1918[34]
25 Sweden 21 September 1931[35]
26 Czech Republic 12 March 1935[36]
27 Poland 5 August 1935[37]
28 Norway 22 October 1936[38]
29 Dominican Republic 14 April 1937[39]
30 Russia 16 June 1945[40]
31 Hungary 3 January 1946[41]
32 Austria 27 June 1947[42]
33 Portugal 28 August 1948[43]
34 Lebanon 15 September 1948[44]
35 Denmark 22 September 1948[45]
36 Haiti 14 November 1949[46]
37 Turkey 21 September 1950[47]
38 Germany 4 July 1952[48]
— Sovereign Military Order of Malta 29 July 1953[49]
39 Serbia 10 January 1956[50]
40 Luxembourg 24 April 1956[51]
41 Israel 18 June 1957[52]
42 Egypt 8 November 1960[53]
43 Canada March 1961[54]
44 South Korea 5 October 1962[55]
45 Finland 5 February 1965[56]
46 Morocco 22 April 1966[57]
47 Greece 5 July 1966[58]
48 Trinidad and Tobago 9 November 1967[59]
49 Romania 12 November 1968[60]
50 India November 1969[61]
51 Bulgaria 28 April 1971[62]
52 Algeria 2 July 1973[63]
53 Iran 19 July 1973[64]
54 Jamaica 10 September 1973[65]
55 Iraq 10 February 1974[66]
56 Guyana 2 July 1974[67]
57 Australia 3 February 1975[68]
58 United Arab Emirates 9 June 1975[69]
59 Qatar 20 June 1975[70]
60 Kuwait 30 July 1975[71]
61 Philippines 5 July 1976[72]
62 Bahamas 27 April 1978[73]
63 Suriname 22 June 1978[74]
64 Barbados 23 June 1978[75]
65 Libya 30 August 1978[70]
66 New Zealand 25 September 1978[76]
67 Ghana 12 May 1979[70]
68 Grenada June 1979[77]
69 Pakistan 23 July 1979[78]
70 Kenya 12 October 1979[70]
71 Nigeria 10 December 1979[79]
72 Cyprus 14 December 1979[73]
73 Jordan 1 January 1980[73]
74 Malta 1 January 1980[73]
75 Saint Lucia 1 January 1980[73]
76 Vietnam 1 January 1980[73]
77 China 2 January 1980[73]
78 Thailand 15 January 1980[73]
79 Tunisia 29 January 1980[80]
80 Albania 31 January 1980[80]
81 Togo 11 February 1980[81]
82 Republic of the Congo 12 February 1980[82]
83 Democratic Republic of the Congo 29 February 1980[73]
84 Liberia 31 March 1980[73]
85 Indonesia 29 April 1980[73]
86 Senegal 25 August 1980[73]
87 Equatorial Guinea 8 September 1980[83]
88 Gabon 11 November 1980[73]
89 Oman 9 July 1982[84]
90 Mongolia 30 October 1982[85]
91 Bangladesh 28 February 1983[70]
92 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1 August 1989[73]
93 Namibia 12 July 1990[73]
94 Afghanistan 23 August 1990[73]
95 Seychelles 6 December 1991[73]
96 Lithuania 20 October 1992[73]
97 Latvia 21 October 1992[73]
98 Estonia 22 October 1992[73]
99 Slovakia 1 January 1993[86]
100 Ukraine 27 April 1993[73]
101 Belarus 5 May 1993[73]
102 Cambodia 29 June 1994[73]
103 Malaysia 29 August 1994[87]
104 South Africa 22 September 1994[73]
105 Singapore 23 September 1994[73]
106 Croatia 22 February 1996[88]
107 Andorra 7 May 1996[73]
108 Mozambique 3 December 1996[73]
109 Guinea-Bissau 10 December 1996[73]
110 Slovenia 18 April 1997[89]
111 Armenia 20 May 1997[90]
112 Turkmenistan 11 June 1997[73]
113 Angola 17 June 1997[73]
114 Liechtenstein 17 October 1997[91]
115 Syria 7 December 1997[92]
116 Bosnia and Herzegovina 26 January 1998[73]
117 Georgia 28 January 1998[73]
118 Belize 14 October 1999[73]
119 Ireland 20 October 1999[73]
120 North Macedonia 22 June 2000[73]
121 Bahrain 26 June 2000[73]
122 Brunei 19 March 2001[73]
123 Monaco 5 April 2001[93]
124 Mauritius 13 May 2003[73]
125 Iceland 11 December 2003[73]
126 Azerbaijan 22 March 2004[73]
127   Nepal 21 June 2006[73]
128 Botswana 4 June 2007[73]
129 San Marino 27 June 2008[94]
130 Saudi Arabia 23 January 2009[73]
131 Antigua and Barbuda 10 August 2009[95]
132 Dominica 24 June 2009[73]
133 Montenegro 24 September 2009[73]
134 Cape Verde 10 August 2010[73]
— State of Palestine 24 December 2010[96][97]
135 Maldives 14 March 2011[73]
136 Sri Lanka 9 May 2011[73]
137 Uzbekistan 19 July 2011[98]
138 Timor-Leste 8 September 2011[73]
139 Laos 12 September 2011[73]
140 Tuvalu 19 September 2011[73]
141 Moldova 8 November 2011[73]
142 Gambia 1 December 2011[73]
143 Samoa 20 December 2011[73]
144 Solomon Islands 20 December 2011[73]
145 Kazakhstan 23 January 2012[73]
146 Ethiopia 23 January 2012[73]
147 Burkina Faso 8 February 2012[73]
148 Fiji 12 February 2013[73]
149 Eritrea 13 March 2013[73]
150 Zambia 16 July 2013[99]
151 Mauritania 28 September 2014[100]
152 Zimbabwe 10 February 2015[73]
153 Sierra Leone 12 February 2015[73]
154 Central African Republic 20 February 2015[73]
155 Burundi 27 February 2015[73]
156 Sudan 13 March 2015[73]
157 Mali 17 April 2015[73]
158 South Sudan 8 May 2015[73]
159 Ivory Coast 3 June 2015[73]
160 Tanzania 16 June 2015[73]
161 Comoros 15 October 2015[73]
162 Djibouti 20 November 2015[73]
163 Tajikistan 12 July 2016[73]
164 Kyrgyzstan 13 December 2016[73]
165 Saint Kitts and Nevis 15 March 2017[101]
166 Myanmar 6 April 2017[73]
167 Vanuatu 26 September 2018[73]
168 Marshall Islands 24 September 2019[73]
169 Benin 7 October 2019[73]
170 Rwanda 17 October 2019[73]
171 Palau 24 October 2022[73]
— Cook Islands 21 May 2024[102]
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Bilateral relations

More information Country, Formal Relations ...
Country Formal Relations Notes
Belgium Belgium
ChileApril 26, 1835See Chile–Ecuador relations.
  • Chile has an embassy in Quito.
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Santiago.
Czech Republic Czech Republic
ChinaFebruary 1, 1980See China–Ecuador relations

Formal relations started on 1980-01-02 and seven months later China set up its embassy in Ecuador. In July 1981, Ecuador set up its embassy in China. Sino-Ecuadorian relations have been advancing smoothly. The two sides maintain high-level political contacts and exchanges in trade, economic progress, science, technology, culture and education. In international affairs, the two countries understand and support each other.

In September 2012, the two nations signed a Commercial and Security Agreement to allow Ecuador to sell easily seafood, cocoa and bananas in China, with the Chinese agreeing to ease tariffs on further food items. In the same period China established an $80 million line of credit for Ecuador with the EximBank to help Ecuador build a road to the re-sited Quito airport.[105]

ColombiaSee Colombia–Ecuador relations
See also: 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis

Ecuador's President Rafael Correa withdrew his government's ambassador in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered troops to the country's border following a Colombian raid against leftist rebels inside Ecuador March 2, 2008.[106] The Colombian director of national police claimed three captured computers from the deceased FARC rebel leader Raúl Reyes document "tremendously revealing" and "very grave" links between Ecuador and Colombian rebels.March 2, 2008.[107] However, Colombia's actions were condemned across the board by all South American nations, with only the US supporting Colombia. For example, Brazil's foreign minister, Celso Amorim, condemned the Colombian incursion into Ecuador.[107] Furthermore, he suggested that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez recently gave the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia $300 million.[107] Ecuador's president Rafael Correa said March 3, 2008, that a deal to release political prisoners—including former Colombian Sen. Ingrid Betancourt—was nearly complete before the March 1, 2008, Colombian raid into his country.[107] Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on March 5, 2008, called the announced movement of Colombian forces in Ecuador a "war crime," and joined Ecuador's president Rafael Correa in demanding international condemnation of the cross-border attack. The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador March 7, 2008, signed a declaration to end a crisis sparked when Colombian troops killed a rebel leader and 21 others inside Ecuadoran territory (2008 Andean diplomatic crisis).[108] In January 2021, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno and Colombian President Ivan Duque made a joint statement on the good relations of the two countries.[109]

Finland Finland
 Germany 1922 See Ecuador–Germany relations
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Berlin and a consulate in Hamburg.
  • Germany has an embassy in Quito.
Greece Greece
India1969See Ecuador–India relations

On November 16, 2008, the Foreign Minister of Ecuador Maria Isabel Salvador met her counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, with a close relationship in oil and defence between these geographically distant countries high on the agenda. On the oil front, the new government in Ecuador has reversed the earlier revenue-sharing arrangements with western oil companies and is now keen on striking new partnerships with state-owned ONGC Videsh of India. In the defence sector, Ecuador became the first country to sign a contract for purchasing the Indian-made Dhruv helicopters, of which one was for use by its president. The embassy expanded its setup with the appointment of a Military Attache and prospects appear bright for more defence exports as Ecuador has agreed to be the servicing hub in South America for Indian defence equipment.[111]

Iran1973See Ecuador–Iran relations

Ecuador has maintained trade relations with Iran. In December 2008, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili visited Ecuador. Alongside president Rafael Correa he called for greater "South–South" co-operation, a term denoting greater exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge between the global South.[112] Iranian president Ahmadinejad also attended the inauguration of President Correa in January 2007.[113]

JapanAugust 26, 1918See Ecuador–Japan relations
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Tokyo.
  • Japan has an embassy in Quito.
MalaysiaSee Ecuador–Malaysia relations

Relations with Malaysia covers on political, commercial, cultural and social activities.[114] Both countries are the members of Non-Aligned Movement.[115] Ecuador trade value with Malaysia are worth about US$15 million.[115][116]

Mexico1837

Diplomatic Relations Severed in 5 April 2024

 See Ecuador–Mexico relations

In April 2024, Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador due to the raid on the Mexican embassy in Ecuador.[117]

Netherlands Netherlands
Palestine2010

Ecuador recognized the State of Palestine in 2010.[118]

PeruSee Ecuador–Peru relations

The Paquisha War was a brief military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts. Since the 1990s, Ecuadoran foreign policy has been focused on the country's border dispute with Peru, an issue that has festered since independence. The boundary dispute led to the Cenepa War between Ecuador and Peru in early 1995; after a peace agreement brokered by the four Guarantors of the Rio Protocol (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States), the Military Observers Mission to Ecuador-Peru (MOMEP) was set up to monitor the zone. In 1998, Presidents Jamil Mahuad of Ecuador and Alberto Fujimori of Peru signed a comprehensive settlement over control of the disputed zone.

Poland
  • Ecuador is accredited to Poland from its embassy in Vienna, Austria.
  • Poland is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru.[103]
Romania Romania
RussiaSee Ecuador–Russia relations
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Moscow.
  • Russia has an embassy in Quito.
Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic 14 November 1983[119]
Further information: List of ambassadors of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to Ecuador
  • Ecuador and SADR maintained diplomatic relations between 1983 and 2024.[119][120]
South Africa South Africa
Spain1840See Ecuador–Spain relations
Sweden
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Stockholm.[123]
  • Sweden has a consulate in Quito.[124]
Thailand Thailand
  • Thailand is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru, and holds a consulate general in Quito.[103]
  • Ecuador has an consulate in Bangkok.[125]
Turkey1950[126]See Ecuador–Turkey relations
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul.
  • Turkey has an embassy in Quito and a consulate in Guayaquil.
  • Trade volume between the two countries was US$117 million in 2019 (Ecuadorian exports/imports: 58/59 million USD.[126]
United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom1853See Ecuador–United Kingdom relations
Acting Ecuadorian Foreign Minister Kintto Lucas with British Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne in Quito, July 2011.

Ecuador established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 29 January 1853.[16]

  • Ecuador maintains an embassy in London.[128]
  • The United Kingdom is accredited to Ecuador through its embassy in Quito.[129]

Both countries share common membership of the International Criminal Court, the United Nations, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the Andean Countries–UK Trade Agreement.[130] Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Agreement.[131]

Relations between the United Kingdom and Ecuador were traditionally regarded as "low-key but cordial", especially before the election of Rafael Correa; the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the country in 2009, as part of a tour celebrating the bicentenary of Charles Darwin. President Correa visited London in the same year, speaking mostly in English at the London School of Economics about the changes his government was making.[132]

In 2012, relations became strained when Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks website, entered the Ecuadorian embassy in London and sought asylum. Assange had lost legal appeals against his extradition to Sweden where he was wanted for questioning about alleged sexual assault and rape, but while within the embassy he was on diplomatic territory and beyond the reach of the British police.[133] The United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office delivered a note to the Ecuadorian government in Quito reminding them of the provisions of the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 which allow the British government to withdraw recognition of diplomatic protection from embassies; the move was interpreted as a hostile act by Ecuador, with Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño stating that this "explicit threat" would be met with "appropriate responses in accordance with international law".[134] Assange was granted diplomatic asylum on August 16, 2012, with Foreign Minister Patiño stating that Assange's fears of political persecution were "legitimate".[135] Finally, President Lenín Moreno revoked Assange's asylum in April 2019. In reaction, the British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, thanked Moreno for his cooperation to "ensure Assange faces justice".[136]

United StatesSee Ecuador–United States relations

The United States and Ecuador used to maintain close ties based on mutual interests in maintaining democratic institutions; combating cannabis and cocaine; building trade, investment, and financial ties; cooperating in fostering Ecuador's economic development; and participating in inter-American organizations. Ties were further strengthened by the presence of an estimated 150,000–200,000 Ecuadorians living in the United States and by 24,000 U.S. citizens visiting Ecuador annually, and by approximately 15,000 U.S. citizens residing in Ecuador. The United States assisted Ecuador's economic development directly through the Agency for International Development (USAID) program in Ecuador and through multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank. In addition, the U.S. Peace Corps operates a sizable program in Ecuador. More than 100 U.S. companies are doing business in Ecuador. The relations deteriorated greatly during the presidency of Rafael Correa since 2007 until 2017. The relations, however, improved significantly during the presidency of Lenin Moreno since 2017. In February 2020, his visit to Washington was the first meeting between an Ecuadorian and U.S. president in 17 years.[4]

  • Ecuador has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and several consulates throughout the country.
  • United States has an embassy in Quito and a consulate in Guayaquil.
UruguaySee Ecuador–Uruguay relations
  • Ecuador has an embassy in Montevideo.
  • Uruguay has an embassy in Quito.
VenezuelaSee Ecuador–Venezuela relations

Diplomatic ties trace back to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. With the independence both countries united under the Gran Colombia along with New Granada (then Colombia and Panama).

After the dissolution of the Gran Colombia, Ecuador named Don Pedro Gual as plenipotentiary minister with the main task of resolving the debt acquired while part of the Gran Colombia union as well as to establish diplomatic relations with the New Granada and Venezuela. On August 4, 1852, Venezuela sent a diplomatic delegation in Quito and named José Julián Ponce as finance administrator.

The relations remained cordial and entered into a second period between 1910 and 1963 with two diplomatic incidents occurring in 1928 and 1955. Ecuador and Venezuela strengthened ties in politics, diplomacy and military.

During the presidency of Lenin Moreno since 2017, Ecuador broke diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Ecuador did not any more recognize the regime of Nicolás Maduro. Instead, Ecuador recognized and supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Interim President of Venezuela.[137][138]

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