Ecuador to Establish Embassy in Jamaica

The Government of Ecuador is moving to establish an Embassy in Kingston, which should serve to further strengthen diplomatic relations with Jamaica.

Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator the Hon. A.J. Nicholson, who made the announcement on Tuesday, April 23, said this was conveyed to him during discussions he had with Ecuador’sMinister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration, Ricardo Patiño.

“The Ecuadoran Foreign Minister and I had fruitful talks, here in Kingston, and establishment of the Embassy is part of the outcomes of those talks,” Senator Nicholson said, while addressing the weekly luncheon of the St. Andrew Rotary Club at the Four Seasons Hotel.

While not giving a timeline for the opening of the Embassy, the Minister was optimistic that this will take place soon.

“Certain things will have to take place before that Embassy is established here. It certainly is my view that it will not take a very long time…in accordance with the discussions that I had with their Foreign Minister,” he pointed out.

Currently, Ecuador has an Honorary Consul posted in Jamaica, in the person of Clelia Barreta de Hunter, while Jamaica’s Honorary Consul in Ecuador is Volker hans Wilhem Rehbein.

Senator Nicholson is optimistic of the mutual and regional benefits to be derived through strengthened diplomatic relations between Jamaica and Ecuador, through the Embassy’s establishment.

“It is going to open up new or other avenues for the integration that is underway in Latin America and the Caribbean (and) will serve to strengthen our hand in that push,” the Minister said.

By Douglas McIntosh, JIS Reporter