Ecuador

Madam President:

As we mark eighty years since the adoption of the Charter of the United Nations, Ecuador honors, with respect and renewed commitment, its status as a founding State of this Organization.

What was born as a hope for peace amid the ruins of the Second World War has become the most ambitious project of international cooperation in history: a system of norms, institutions, principles, purposes, and universal values intended to protect human dignity, prevent violence, and drive development.

Eighty years ago, States chose cooperation over dispute, peace over war.

My presence in this Assembly is an occasion to reaffirm before the international community that Ecuador will continue to prioritize collaboration among States, for only by working together can we guarantee a future of peace, security, and prosperity for our peoples.

For this reason, Ecuador's foreign policy supports multilateralism, the model that makes international cooperation possible in addressing global challenges and achieving common goals.

Madam President:

Multilateralism must evolve to respond to today's demands of the peoples and confront new threats.

Ecuador maintains that the concept of international peace and security must be broadened to include the fight against transnational organized crime, a phenomenon that undermines governance, fuels corruption, perpetuates violence, and erodes prospects for progress. Indeed, it produces consequences similar to traditional armed conflicts, economically, politically, and socially.

We are not speaking of local gangs, but of international networks and logistics chains that move thousands of tons of drugs, exploit illegal mining, and traffic weapons, people, and even human organs.

Faced with the emergence of numerous acts of violence and narco-terrorism, the Government of Ecuador recognized the existence of a non-international armed conflict in January 2024, and designated several of these groups as terrorists.

We have deployed enormous efforts and resources to safeguard security and put citizens first.

We are doing so by promoting programs focused on preventing youth violence, including the recruitment, use, and exploitation of children and adolescents. At the same time, we are implementing public policies to attract investment and employment in order to guarantee sustainable security.

I want to stress the fact that Ecuador — without having sought it, due to its proximity to the world's leading cocaine producers — finds itself on the front line of the battle against transnational organized crime, and is waging an existential war against narco-terrorism.

Milestones in Ecuador's fight against transnational organized crime and narco-terrorism include the seizure of 295 tons of illicit drugs in 2024, as well as the decision to turn to friendly countries to seek their support in various aspects of this confrontation, such as potential joint military operations, in full respect of the constitutional framework.

The Ecuadorian Government has called for a national, democratic debate on foreign military bases through a referendum to be held next November, offering strategic points that could serve for the control and monitoring of criminal activities, for the benefit of international peace and security.

This referendum will be accompanied by a call for a Constituent Assembly, which must provide us with a new fundamental charter that helps defeat narco-terrorism and leads us inexorably down the path of prosperity and social peace.

Madam President:

At the regional level, Ecuador promoted the establishment of the Resolute Action Plan (PAR) as the Andean Community's strategic response to illicit drug trafficking and transnational organized crime.

At the multilateral level, Ecuador has led initiatives such as the presidency of the Latin American Security and Intelligence Community (CLASI), through which it has promoted the updating of Operational Action Plans and the organization of the Latin American Security Summit, consolidating strategic alliances with the European Union and AMERIPOL.

Let us agree that transnational organized crime and narco-terrorism are global scourges that know no borders, against which no country can act alone. It is therefore crucial to coordinate efforts and establish cooperation agreements with countries and international organizations that incorporate financial assistance and technological equipment.

Madam President:

Over these eight decades, the United Nations has shown that lasting peace can only be built on solid foundations: security, development, and human rights.

These three pillars — interdependent and indivisible — represent the foundations of the international order and of multilateralism, which today show serious cracks that compromise their stability. Indeed, multilateralism is being questioned today, and rightly so, as it has been unable to effectively confront contemporary conflicts and challenges.

Ecuador advocates for a more innovative, inclusive, and representative multilateralism, one that takes into account the realities of countries, especially those of the developing world; that promotes equality between women and men; and that finally opens space for young people in decision-making.

It is essential to strengthen respect for the fundamental principles of international law contained in the Charter of the United Nations, which is the foundation of this Organization and whose strength depends on our adherence to its spirit and letter. Abandoning it would lead us back to an era in which the only source of rights was force. It is up to us to reform and update it so that it responds to current global challenges, precisely so that these principles may be strengthened.

In sum, this institution is called upon to accompany the evolution of humankind and of the planet, attentive to technological change and new challenges.

Madam President:

Human mobility is another of the most complex challenges of our time. Ecuador, a country of origin, transit, destination, and refuge for migrants, reaffirms its commitment to safe, orderly, and regular migration, convinced that its proper management contributes to sustainable development. Ecuador firmly rejects irregular, unsafe, and disorderly human mobility, as it largely serves the interests of organized crime groups, which can also be transnational.

Emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, present unprecedented opportunities for human progress, but also significant risks to security, equity, and human rights.

Ecuador considers it essential to move toward multilateral and ethical governance of these tools, one that guarantees inclusive access, avoids new digital divides, and ensures that their use is oriented toward the common good.

Climate change and biodiversity loss threaten our stability and development.

As a megadiverse country, Ecuador advocates for greater environmental financing, technology transfer, and international support for the conservation of unique ecosystems such as the Amazon and the Galápagos Islands, treasures of humanity.

Financing for development is another major challenge. The international financial architecture must respond to the needs of developing countries, particularly those classified as upper-middle-income.

The exclusive use of GDP per capita — a limiting and limited measure — does not reflect our reality or our vulnerabilities. We need more comprehensive indicators that include multidimensional poverty, structural inequality, and climate resilience, so that access to concessional resources and international cooperation is not unfairly diminished.

Ecuador supports the use of sustainable financial instruments such as green and thematic bonds, and promotes the creation of new financing mechanisms.

Madam President, young people of Ecuador and of the world:

I am proud to represent a young nation.

Ecuador is a country of more than 18 million inhabitants, in which young people make up around 40% of the population. The Government of Ecuador and President Daniel Noboa are focused on offering them opportunities that did not exist in the past.

Now is the time for young people. If we give them opportunities, we can promote better outcomes for all citizens. It is a positive, multiplying effect.

For us, youth embodies the priority of priorities.

Today, young people see in the "New Ecuador" a country of opportunity and progress, one with a firm commitment to banish corruption and impunity, as well as old politics and inconsequential ideological struggles that perpetuate an unsustainable status quo benefiting only a few.

The "New Ecuador" is advancing with stability and responsibility along an ambitious path of productive, social, and institutional transformation toward a new chapter in its development model, involving efforts that include the diversification of its energy matrix and the diversification of its productive matrix.

The current global economic environment, increasingly complex and demanding, marked by market volatility, geopolitical tensions, supply-chain uncertainty, and rapid technological change, requires us to adapt quickly and nimbly. We are fostering a competitive economic environment, opening up to business, and offering attractive conditions for foreign investment.

Several factors favor investment and business in Ecuador: a wide range of natural resources, a strategic location in South America, the economic stability afforded by the US dollar as our national currency, our status as a megadiverse country, and a rich cultural heritage.

Our country-risk indicator continues its downward trend, standing at 701 points, its lowest level in recent years.

Our economy grew 3.9% in the first half of the year, with growth of around 5% projected for the second half. As in the area of security, our economy is improving, even amid the challenges we continue to face.

As of July 2025, adequate employment rose to 38.6%. In other words, 282,000 more Ecuadorians now have adequate employment compared to 2024 — a 3.7% change compared to July 2024.

These achievements are also linked to the laws that President Daniel Noboa and his cabinet have drafted and submitted to the National Assembly, which seek to protect peace, transparency, and the fight against terrorism and crime, as well as to generate employment and economic stability, and create social programs and opportunities for development.

Madam President:

The eightieth anniversary of the UN is a turning point.

On the occasion of this historic commemoration of the United Nations, I invite you to forge a creative vision comparable to that of 1945, capable of renewing and strengthening this institution founded on an ethical model of democracy, while adapting to contemporary realities.

Global challenges such as transnational organized crime and narco-terrorism, migration, and climate change demand more multilateralism, more cooperation, and more collective action.

Ecuador reaffirms its commitment to the defense of peace and security, human rights, and development.

Thank you very much.