Ecuador, with a record of non-oil exports in 2020 despite COVID-19

Among the leading products highlighted the shrimp, with 6,000 million dollars in exports.

Ecuador registered in 2020 a “historical” record of non -oil exports of almost 15,000 million dollars, despite the circumstances of the pandemic, the head of Foreign Trade, Iván Ontaneda, reported on Friday, in a meeting with US investors.

"There was an increase in volume and diversification of 10% compared to 2019," said the minister, who encrypted the total amount at about $ 15,000 million.

Ontaneda attributed that growth to the "important turn" of his country in international commercial policy, a policy now "governed by pragmatism, opening new doors to an increasingly globalized world."

The Ecuadorian responsible appeared in a forum organized by the Americas Society/Council of the Americas (AS/COA), where he presented the ambition of his country to continue growing, the measures adopted these last four years and the opportunities offered to the US market.

The current government led by Lenín Moreno will end its functions on May 24, which has aroused some misgivings for the change that is expected, that the minister tried to dissipate ensuring that the measures adopted are state policy.

"Within public policy is to promote and encourage the growth of non -oil exports and foreign investment," he emphasized.

Among the leading products highlighted the shrimp, with 6,000 million dollars in exports ("it is the most delicious shrimp of the world and I do not say it as a minister") and the fishing sector, with tuna as a premium product, with 1.6 billion dollars.

But also the banana sector, with 500,000 direct and indirect jobs; Flowers, source of employment of women in 60%; Cocoa, with 120,000 families involved in this value chain; In addition to coffee.

"Ecuador has evidenced that he is prepared to supply the world foods with high protocols in biosafety, premium and sustainable products," Ontaneda said and stressed that "nine out of ten jobs in the country are generated by productive rings."

In the efforts of the Ecuadorian Executive to strengthen investment and exports, a series of laws have been adopted to guarantee legal certainty beyond changes of government, and also an opening strategy in search of commercial alliances, of which four highlighted.

The first, the search for a reinforcement of the commercial relationship with the US, its main commercial partner and with which it has entered into negotiations to seek a broad commercial treaty in the future.

But also an agreement with the European Association of Free Change (EFTA), another with the United Kingdom once withdrawn from the European Union (EU), and a third with Chile as the basis of a future extension towards the Pacific Alliance of which Ecuador is an observer.

As for investments, he stressed that the Executive has caught about 3,000 million dollars, with "rules that do not change in the course of an administration, because investments are medium and long term"