The United States Supports Ecuador in the Global Fight Against the Climate Change

For nearly three decades the United Nations has gathered almost every country on earth for global climate summits – called COPs – which stands for "Conference of the Parties".

Ecuador is part of the Andean Region ICT Infrastructure Project Opportunities Guide, which highlights 24 information and communications technology infrastructure projects valued at more than $3.3 billion in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. 

Quito, November 9, 2021. In recognition of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference ‘COP26,’ the U.S. government is pleased to highlight U.S. support to Ecuador in combatting the effects of climate change.  Through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), the U.S. government has awarded technical assistance grants for the Autoridad Aeroportuaria de Guayaquil (AAG), the Empresa Pública Metropolitana de Transporte de Pasajeros de Quito (EPMTPQ), and Ecuador’s National Electricity Operator (CENACE) to develop energy efficient projects.  In addition, the USTDA has released the Andean Region ICT Infrastructure Project Opportunities Guide, which includes several project profiles in Ecuador. The guide highlights 24 information and communications technology infrastructure projects, valued at more than $3.3 billion, in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.

Climate change is a global challenge that threatens nations’ economies, infrastructure, and national security. No one country can fight it alone.  This is why the U.S. government has mobilized concrete commitments in Ecuador to combat the climate crisis. “As Secretary Blinken has said, leadership on climate action is not about sacrifice. It is about opportunity,  innovation, and creation. U.S. assistance in Ecuador for creating sustainable development and transportation projects will help future generations to live in a more secure and prosperous country,” said U.S. Ambassador to Ecuador, Michael J. Fitzpatrick.

Due to USTDA’s support for the new Guayaquil International Airport, the Autoridad Aeroportuaria de Guayaquil (AAG) will be able to build and operate the new airport under international best practices regarding airport sustainability and energy efficiency. The USTDA technical assistance grant to Quito’s public transit bus operator, Empresa Pública Metropolitana de Transporte de Pasajeros de Quito (EPMTPQ), will enable EPMTPQ to modernize its bus fleet and expand related intelligent transportation system (ITS) technologies. The grant will help replace Quito’s diesel-powered buses with a fleet of electric buses.

USTDA’s technical assistance grant to Ecuador’s National Electricity Operator will enhance the real-time management of the country’s electrical grid and improve the stability and reliability of its power supply network. Together, these USTDA grants total more than $2.4 million and represent just some of the in which the United States is working to promote climate-smart transportation solutions worldwide.

As part of the efforts to deliver high-quality, sustainable infrastructure, the United States has launched the Build Back Better World (B3W) initiative, which prioritizes the fight against climate change in infrastructure development. As announced by Secretary Antony Blinken last month in Quito, Ecuador has been chosen as one of the first partners in the B3W program to encourage investments in infrastructure projects that are resilient to climate change and comply with high environmental and labor standards.

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