Ecuador’s ambassador to the United States, Ivonne Baki, spoke about the relations between the two countries and did not rule out that in 2022 the signing of a trade agreement could be finalized.
“Nothing is impossible,” Baki said in an interview with Teleamazonas, adding that the Ecuadorian government is working “as if this agreement were going to be signed tomorrow.”
“If it happens this year, excellent, if it doesn’t happen and it takes a little longer, we are prepared for it to come in immediately,” she added.
The ambassador stressed that this agreement has a new form of negotiation, however, she stressed that it is not starting from scratch, because, she said, “we are with a new way of negotiating that are fair trade agreements, with environmental, labor issues” .
In the opinion of the official, it is a good time to achieve a commercial negotiation. Currently, she commented, the process is advancing in the beginning of phase two; covering negotiations headed by the Ministry of Foreign Trade.
«The meeting of the Investment and Trade Council is going to take place, which this year will be in Ecuador. It was pending that it be this month, but due to the problem of Covid-19 it is expected to be in February », she highlighted.
Likewise, she specified that trade is not the only priority within this future agreement, but also political and security issues.
“That’s all part of phase two. It is doing very well, not as fast as we thought and wanted, but it will happen », she said.
On the other hand, Baki anticipated that the US Congress is working on a law to support Ecuador, a process that is advancing with the approval of a resolution that has already been voted unanimously.
This law, she revealed, covers points such as democracy, security, the labor, commercial and environmental spheres.
“I can’t mention much until it’s done, but hopefully next week we’ll have very good news,” she concluded.
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