Ecuador continues to make history and is now in a never-before-explored area with the potential to become one of the most competitive manufacturing sectors in the world. Ecuador joins the top 5 countries in the region – along with Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico – joining a select group of 28 countries worldwide committed to developing sustainable and transparent space activity, with an emphasis on scientific dissemination.

At a June ceremony at the Embassy in Washington DC, Ecuador became the 26th country to sign the Artemis Agreement and was represented by Gustavo Manrique, Ecuador’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. As background, it should be noted that on October 4, 1967, the first artificial Earth satellite was launched into space, and on October 10, 1967, the Outer Space Treaty entered into force; the new Artemis agreement is a continuation of that agreement.

This month saw the first meeting to disseminate the action plan for the execution of our contribution as a country to the Artemis Agreement. Said event was held at the US Consulate in Guayaquil with the aim of joining academia, the private and public sectors in the same goal of joining efforts and “developing a competitive advantage in a global manufacturing sector that has already exceeded 470 billion dollars in 2021.” , similar to the most famous case in the productive transformation corresponding to the rise of Intel Costa Rica in the global value chain in 1998, according to Timothy Stater, former consul general in Guayaquil.

The future belongs to those who prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities – especially if today is uncertain -…

The conversation was moderated by John West, senior vice president of the Center for Innovation and Education (CI&E) at the Space Foundation and head of the Space Foundation Discovery Center (SFDC); and Lisa Bell, director of program development for STEM, space and workplace initiatives. Both experts work with Leviathan Space Industries and share the “Zero Latitude” proposal to develop a private spaceport in Ecuador. It is proposed to develop new business models and training programs, with the support of science, with the purpose of articulating different production sectors in the development of the infrastructure of the fast-growing industry, and in the training and employability of the human talents of the future. of work, from a visionary view towards the still unexplored local market.

The informative speech presented invites us all to think about economic development as first world countries do: recognizing emerging markets, anticipating opportunities for competitiveness and innovation, preparing our workforce with the skills of tomorrow, prioritizing scientific development and technology, looking at themselves as job providers in the region, encouraging triple-helix cooperation and uniting for the same common goal. The future belongs to those who prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities – especially if today is uncertain – because the most certain thing is that the world will always move forward, with us or without us. (OR)