Ecuador opens embassy in Nigeria

Nigeria, Ecuador friendship flourished yesterday when the first ambassador of the South American country presented his Letters of Credence to President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.
The event officially marked the opening of the country’s embassy in Nigeria as well as the beginning of a new dawn in the two countries friendship, which has existed at the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) over the years.
Ambassador Leopoldo Rovayo Verdesoto pledged to strengthen and consolidate the existing fraternal, warm and cordial relations between Ecuador and Nigeria. President of Ecuador, Rafael Correa Delgado, also, sent his compliments to Buhari and thanked him for the opening of the Ecuadorian diplomatic mission.
Almost 12 % of the Ecuadorian population has African heritage. He recalled the cordial ties between the two countries at the OPEC, especially when Nigeria helped Ecuador when its oil pipeline was broken in 1987.
Rovayo used the occasion to extend an invitation to Nigeria to participate in the draft zero of the Declaration of the Africa-South America Forum (ASA Forum) to be held next year just as he recalled the important role played by Nigeria when the Forum was created in 2006 in Abuja. He noted that closer contact and cooperation within the established mechanism of ASA is to be actively promoted and encouraged.
Rovayo also expressed the solidarity of the people and government of Ecuador with Nigeria in the struggle against terrorism. He described Ecuador’s rejection of terrorism as a vital part of its foreign policy; and reiterated Ecuador’s commitment to assist in any way possible in the multilateral forums. The ambassador also offered to assist handicap Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who survived Boko Haram insurgency through an Ecuadorian programme called “Manuela Espejo.”
Commenting, President Buhari expressed his appreciation for the opening of the embassy in Abuja. He said it would help the two countries to work together to strengthen bilateral
The Ambassador attended this ceremony accompanied by Jaime Campas Angulo, Third Secretary and Mario Vega, Civil Attaché, as well as administrative staff of the Ecuadorian Mission.
The 51-years-old envoy is a Lawyer. He started his diplomatic career in 1989. He has served in Peru and Spain. At the Foreign Ministry in the Ecuadorian capital, Quito, he served at the Directorates of Sovereignty, Modernization Process, Cultural, Protocol, Juridical issues; he was the Director of Press of the Foreign Ministry; and was recently seconded to the National Prosecutor’s Office as the Director of International Affairs.