Nepal – Ecuador Relations


Bilateral Relations
Nepal and Ecuador established bilateral relations on 21 June 2006. The two countries have enjoyed friendly relations and cooperation ever since, exchanging cooperation at various multilateral forums. Nepal and Ecuador have worked together and hold common positions on many international issues, and both the countries are working together in the UN and other international forums. Both the countries are members of the NAM and G-77, and have faith in multilateralism. The Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations is currently accredited to Ecuador, and likewise, their Ambassador to India is accredited to Nepal.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Hon. Pradeep Kumar Gyawali held talks with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ecuador H.E. Dr. Maria Fernanda Espinosa on the sidelines of the NAM Ministerial Meeting in  Azerbaijan on 6 April 2018.

Trade and Investment:
The volume of trade between Nepal and Ecuador is nominal at the moment. Nepal imports mainly raw materials from Ecuador, while Nepal’s exports include textile and handicraft items. Trade volume for the last few years is shown in the table below:

In NRs.

Year Export Import Balance
2016 78,102 13,230,901 -13,152,799
2017 0 9,891,126 -9,891,126
2018 523,485 16,820,301 -16,296,816
2019 148,372 4,674,206 -4,525,834

(Source: TEPC)

As of July 2020, there was one company operating with the foreign investment of Ecuador amounting to 2.5 million Rupees, which generated 45 employment opportunities.

 

Europe and the Americas Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
August 2020

 

Biography of the Minister

Dr. María Fernanda Espinosa
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility

The Head of Ecuadorian Diplomacy has more than 20 years of international experience in multilateral issues, integration, security and defense, human rights, rights of indigenous peoples and nationalities, culture and heritage.

During her professional career she has served as Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Nations, Geneva. Minister of National Defense; Coordinating Minister of Cultural and Natural Heritage; Ambassador of Ecuador to the United Nations, New York; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Integration; Special Adviser to the President of the National Constituent Assembly; Regional Director of the World Union for Nature, South America; Senior Advisor on Biodiversity Policies and Indigenous Peoples for the World Conservation Union (IUCN).

As part of her extensive experience, she has participated in Negotiations on Intellectual Property and Traditional Knowledge in WIPO and the WTO. She has advised CAN and collaborated with ACTO on issues of Strategic Management and Sustainable Development.

Teaching is also part of her profile, she worked as associate professor and researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO).