This cooperation agreement establishes a roadmap to implement security and defense capacity development projects based on the priority determined by both governments and does not include a specific economic allocation.
Washington D.C., July 20, 2023. The United States and Ecuador signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) yesterday at the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, to strengthen the capabilities of the security sector in Ecuador and to define shared objectives related to security cooperation.
These shared objectives will be used to develop specific capacity development projects based on the priority determined by both governments and the availability of authorities to undertake these projects.
Present at the ceremony were the Commander of the United States Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, the Assistant Secretary of Defense Daniel Erickson, the Assistant Secretary for Regional Security of the Department of State Mira Resnick, the Minister of Defense Luis Lara, and the Ecuadorian Ambassador to the United States Ivonne Baki, with other United States and Ecuadorian authorities. The MOU includes collaboration on technical matters, best practices, lessons learned, and equipment, and does not include a specific financial allocation. The two countries establish four lines of effort: exchange of information, capacity building of the Ecuadorian Armed Forces, training and qualification, and acquisition of essential resources.
This signing demonstrates the United States’ longstanding commitment to institutional collaboration to achieve our shared security objectives in the region. The United States works closely with defense and security partners in Ecuador to confront regional challenges related to organized crime and achieve shared goals in citizen security in Ecuador.
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