The United States donated $1.3 million to the Ecuadorian Army to carry out humanitarian demining operations in the province of Zamora Chinchipe, along the border with Peru.
The resources, which will be allocated to the Army’s 68 Cotopaxi Battalion of Engineers, will finance two projects that include demining training and medical training for demining soldiers. Both projects include the necessary equipment for these activities, which will be available to the Ecuadorian Army.
Tiwintza, without mines; work continues in Zamora Chinchipe
The donation, made through the Office of Security Cooperation of the United States Embassy in Ecuador, will increase the Battalion’s demining operational capacity by 40%, which will allow the Government of Ecuador to boost demining operations to create safe access to markets, schools, water points and clinics for local communities.
In addition, this initiative seeks to support efforts to develop the institutional capacity of the Battalion to plan, coordinate and manage mine action operations and comply with international treaty obligations for a mine-free Ecuador by 2025.
Michael J. Fitzpatrick, ambassador of the United States in Ecuador, highlighted the importance of the donation that, according to him, ratifies the ties of cooperation between both countries, and demonstrates the importance of the security of Ecuadorians for the United States.
“With this donation we reaffirm our commitment to the Ecuadorian people. Together we work as allies to strengthen the security of Ecuador and face situations that affect the stability of the country. This delivery contributes to the benefit of the populations that have suffered because of the mines. Our government understands the problems that Ecuador is facing and will continue to support demining to return the land to the affected civilian communities,” said the diplomat.
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The United States is the world’s leading donor for humanitarian demining. Since 1993 it has contributed more than $4 billion globally to conventional weapons destruction efforts.
In the last five years alone, US-funded demining programs have removed more than 1.4 million landmines and other dangerous explosives. (I)
Source: Eluniverso
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