# Foreign relations of Ecuador

"none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive; see [[WP:SDNONE]]
This article describes the diplomatic affairs, foreign policy and international relations of Ecuador
Ecuador is a founding member of the UN and a member of many of its specialized agencies; it is also a member of the Organization of American States (OAS), as well as many regional groups, including the Rio Group, the Latin American Economic System, the Latin American Energy Organization, the Latin American Integration Association, and the Andean Pact.
Ecuador's principal foreign-policy objectives have traditionally included defense of its territory from both external aggression and internal subversion as well as support for the objectives of the UN and the OAS. Although Ecuador's foreign relations were traditionally centered on the United States, Ecuador's membership in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in the 1970s and 1980s allowed Ecuadorian leaders to exercise somewhat greater foreign policy autonomy. Ecuador's foreign policy goals under the Borja government in the late 1980s were more diversified than those of the Febres Cordero administration, which closely identified with the United States. For example, Ecuador was more active in its relations with the Third World, multilateral organizations, Western Europe, and socialist countries.
Ecuador has offered humanitarianian aid to many countries, is a supporter of the United Nations, and currently contributes troops to the UN mission in Haiti. Ecuador has also been an elective member of the UN Security Council.
In Antarctica, Ecuador has maintained a peaceful research station for scientific study in the British-claimed territory and is a member nation of the Antarctica Treaty.

## Domestic politics

The presidency of Rafael Correa in the early 21st century saw a radical change in the country's foreign policy. Traditional ties with the United States grew more acrimonious and there were increased ties with the governments of Russia and Iran. The relations with the United States, however, improved significantly during the presidency of his successor Lenin Moreno since 2017.

### List

List of countries which Ecuador maintains diplomatic relations with:
Date :
| 1 | Peru | 26 September 1831 |
| 2 | Colombia | 10 February 1832 |
| 3 | Chile | 26 April 1835 |
| 4 | Venezuela | 18 August 1835 |
| — | Nicaragua (suspended) | 1836 |
| — | Mexico (suspended) | 15 November 1837 |
| 5 | Spain | 16 February 1840 |
| 6 | Bolivia | 8 May 1842 |
| 7 | Brazil | November 1844 |
| 8 | France | 6 June 1848 |
| 9 | United States | 12 August 1848 |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 29 January 1853 |
| 11 | Netherlands | 12 May 1872 |
| — | Holy See | 6 August 1877 |
| 12 | Belgium | 16 July 1879 |
| 13 | Paraguay | 15 December 1880 |
| 14 | Costa Rica | 26 October 1885 |
| 15 | Dominican Republic | 1888 |
| 16 | Switzerland | 1888 |
| 17 | El Salvador | 29 March 1890 |
| 18 | Guatemala | 6 May 1890 |
| 19 | Honduras | 1896 |
| 20 | Italy | 31 May 1900 |
| 21 | Argentina | 27 March 1903 |
| 22 | Panama | 1 September 1908 |
| 23 | Uruguay | 1 June 1914 |
| 24 | Japan | 26 August 1918 |
| 25 | Sweden | 21 September 1931 |
| 26 | Poland | 5 August 1935 |
| 27 | Norway | 22 October 1936 |
| 28 | Russia | 16 June 1945 |
| 29 | Austria | 27 June 1947 |
| 30 | Portugal | 28 August 1948 |
| 31 | Lebanon | 15 September 1948 |
| 32 | Haiti | 14 November 1949 |
| 33 | Turkey | 1950 |
| 34 | Germany | 4 July 1952 |
| 35 | Denmark | 27 March 1955 |
| 36 | Serbia | 10 January 1956 |
| 37 | Luxembourg | 24 April 1956 |
| 38 | Israel | 18 June 1957 |
| 39 | Egypt | 8 November 1960 |
| 40 | Canada | March 1961 |
| 41 | South Korea | 5 October 1962 |
| 42 | Finland | 5 February 1965 |
| 43 | Morocco | 22 April 1966 |
| 44 | Greece | 5 July 1966 |
| 45 | Trinidad and Tobago | 9 November 1967 |
| 46 | Romania | 12 November 1968 |
| 47 | India | November 1969 |
| 48 | Hungary | 23 January 1970 |
| 49 | Bulgaria | 28 April 1971 |
| 50 | Algeria | 2 July 1973 |
| 51 | Iran | 19 July 1973 |
| 52 | Jamaica | 10 September 1973 |
| 53 | Iraq | 10 February 1974 |
| 54 | Guyana | 2 July 1974 |
| 55 | Australia | 3 February 1975 |
| 56 | United Arab Emirates | 9 June 1975 |
| 57 | Kuwait | 30 July 1975 |
| 58 | Qatar | 1975 |
| 59 | Philippines | 5 July 1976 |
| 60 | Bahamas | 27 April 1978 |
| 61 | Suriname | 22 June 1978 |
| 62 | Barbados | 23 June 1978 |
| 63 | Libya | 1 September 1978 |
| 64 | New Zealand | 25 September 1978 |
| 65 | Grenada | June 1979 |
| 66 | Pakistan | 23 July 1979 |
| 67 | Cuba | 23 August 1979 |
| 68 | Nigeria | 10 December 1979 |
| 69 | Cyprus | 14 December 1979 |
| 70 | Jordan | 1 January 1980 |
| 71 | Malta | 1 January 1980 |
| 72 | Saint Lucia | 1 January 1980 |
| 73 | Vietnam | 1 January 1980 |
| 74 | China | 2 January 1980 |
| 75 | Thailand | 15 January 1980 |
| 76 | Tunisia | 29 January 1980 |
| 77 | Albania | 31 January 1980 |
| 78 | Togo | 11 February 1980 |
| 79 | Republic of the Congo | 12 February 1980 |
| 80 | Democratic Republic of the Congo | 29 February 1980 |
| 81 | Liberia | 31 March 1980 |
| 82 | Indonesia | 29 April 1980 |
| 83 | Senegal | 25 August 1980 |
| 84 | Equatorial Guinea | 8 September 1980 |
| 85 | Gabon | 11 November 1980 |
| 86 | Oman | 9 July 1982 |
| 87 | Mongolia | 30 October 1982 |
| — | Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (suspended) | 14 November 1983 |
| 88 | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | 1 August 1989 |
| 89 | Malaysia | 1989 |
| 90 | Namibia | 12 July 1990 |
| 91 | Afghanistan | 23 August 1990 |
| 92 | Seychelles | 6 December 1991 |
| 93 | Lithuania | 20 October 1992 |
| 94 | Latvia | 21 October 1992 |
| 95 | Estonia | 22 October 1992 |
| 96 | Slovakia | 1 January 1993 |
| 97 | Ukraine | 27 April 1993 |
| 98 | Belarus | 5 May 1993 |
| 99 | Cambodia | 29 June 1994 |
| 100 | South Africa | 22 September 1994 |
| 101 | Singapore | 23 September 1994 |
| 102 | Croatia | 22 February 1996 |
| 103 | Andorra | 7 May 1996 |
| 104 | Mozambique | 3 December 1996 |
| 105 | Guinea-Bissau | 10 December 1996 |
| 106 | Slovenia | 18 April 1997 |
| 107 | Armenia | 20 May 1997 |
| 108 | Turkmenistan | 11 June 1997 |
| 109 | Angola | 17 June 1997 |
| 110 | Liechtenstein | 17 October 1997 |
| 111 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 26 January 1998 |
| 112 | Georgia | 28 January 1998 |
| 113 | Belize | 14 October 1999 |
| 114 | Ireland | 20 October 1999 |
| 115 | North Macedonia | 22 June 2000 |
| 116 | Bahrain | 26 June 2000 |
| 117 | Brunei | 19 March 2001 |
| 118 | Monaco | 5 April 2001 |
| 119 | Mauritius | 13 May 2003 |
| 120 | Iceland | 11 December 2003 |
| 121 | Azerbaijan | 22 March 2004 |
| 122 | Syria | 29 March 2005 |
| 123 | Nepal | 21 June 2006 |
| 124 | Ghana | 10 May 2007 |
| 125 | Botswana | 4 June 2007 |
| 126 | San Marino | 27 June 2008 |
| — | State of Palestine | 24 November 2008 |
| 127 | Saudi Arabia | 23 January 2009 |
| 128 | Antigua and Barbuda | 10 August 2009 |
| 129 | Dominica | 24 June 2009 |
| 130 | Montenegro | 24 September 2009 |
| 131 | Cape Verde | 10 August 2010 |
| 132 | Maldives | 14 March 2011 |
| 133 | Sri Lanka | 9 May 2011 |
| 134 | Uzbekistan | 19 July 2011 |
| 135 | Timor-Leste | 8 September 2011 |
| 136 | Laos | 12 September 2011 |
| 137 | Tuvalu | 19 September 2011 |
| 138 | Moldova | 8 November 2011 |
| 139 | Gambia | 1 December 2011 |
| 140 | Samoa | 20 December 2011 |
| 141 | Solomon Islands | 20 December 2011 |
| 142 | Kazakhstan | 23 January 2012 |
| 143 | Ethiopia | 23 January 2012 |
| 144 | Burkina Faso | 8 February 2012 |
| 145 | Fiji | 12 February 2013 |
| 146 | Eritrea | 13 March 2013 |
| 147 | Zambia | 16 July 2013 |
| 148 | Mauritania | 28 September 2014 |
| 149 | Zimbabwe | 10 February 2015 |
| 150 | Sierra Leone | 12 February 2015 |
| 151 | Central African Republic | 20 February 2015 |
| 152 | Burundi | 27 February 2015 |
| 153 | Sudan | 13 March 2015 |
| 154 | Mali | 17 April 2015 |
| 155 | South Sudan | 8 May 2015 |
| 156 | Ivory Coast | 3 June 2015 |
| 157 | Tanzania | 16 June 2015 |
| 158 | Comoros | 15 October 2015 |
| 159 | Djibouti | 20 November 2015 |
| 160 | Bangladesh | 13 April 2016 |
| 161 | Tajikistan | 12 July 2016 |
| 162 | Kyrgyzstan | 13 December 2016 |
| 163 | Myanmar | 6 April 2017 |
| 164 | Kenya | 9 December 2017 |
| 165 | Vanuatu | 26 September 2018 |
| 166 | Marshall Islands | 24 September 2019 |
| 167 | Benin | 7 October 2019 |
| 168 | Rwanda | 17 October 2019 |
| 169 | Palau | 24 October 2022 |
| — | Cook Islands | 21 May 2024 |
| 170 | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Unknown |

## Bilateral relations

| Country | Formal Relations | Notes |
| Belgium | | Belgium is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. Ecuador has an embassy in Brussels. |
| Belize | October 14, 1999 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on October 14, 1999. Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States. |
| Chile | April 26, 1835 | See Chile–Ecuador relations. Chile has an embassy in Quito. Ecuador has an embassy in Santiago. |
| Czech Republic | | Czech Republic is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru, and hold consulates in Quito and Guayaquil. Ecuador has an embassy in Prague. |
| China | February 1, 1980 | See China–Ecuador relations Formal relations started on 1980-01-02 and seven months later China set up its embassy in Ecuador. In July 1981, Ecuador set up its embassy in China. Sino-Ecuadorian relations have been advancing smoothly. The two sides maintain high-level political contacts and exchanges in trade, economic progress, science, technology, culture and education. In international affairs, the two countries understand and support each other. In September 2012, the two nations signed a Commercial and Security Agreement to allow Ecuador to sell easily seafood, cocoa and bananas in China, with the Chinese agreeing to ease tariffs on further food items. In the same period China established an $80 million line of credit for Ecuador with the EximBank to help Ecuador build a road to the re-sited Quito airport. |
| Colombia | | See Colombia–Ecuador relations See also: 2008 Andean diplomatic crisis Ecuador's President Rafael Correa withdrew his government's ambassador in Bogotá, Colombia, and ordered troops to the country's border following a Colombian raid against leftist rebels inside Ecuador March 2, 2008. The Colombian director of national police claimed three captured computers from the deceased FARC rebel leader Raúl Reyes document "tremendously revealing" and "very grave" links between Ecuador and Colombian rebels.March 2, 2008. However, Colombia's actions were condemned across the board by all South American nations, with only the US supporting Colombia. For example, Brazil's foreign minister, Celso Amorim, condemned the Colombian incursion into Ecuador. Furthermore, he suggested that Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez recently gave the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia $300 million. Ecuador's president Rafael Correa said March 3, 2008, that a deal to release political prisoners—including former Colombian Sen. Ingrid Betancourt—was nearly complete before the March 1, 2008, Colombian raid into his country. Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez on March 5, 2008, called the announced movement of Colombian forces in Ecuador a "war crime," and joined Ecuador's president Rafael Correa in demanding international condemnation of the cross-border attack. The presidents of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador March 7, 2008, signed a declaration to end a crisis sparked when Colombian troops killed a rebel leader and 21 others inside Ecuadoran territory (2008 Andean diplomatic crisis). In January 2021, Ecuadorian President Lenin Moreno and Colombian President Ivan Duque made a joint statement on the good relations of the two countries. |
| Finland | | Finland is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. Ecuador has an embassy in Helsinki. |
| France | | Ecuador has an embassy in Paris. France has an embassy in Quito. |
| Germany | | See Ecuador–Germany relations Ecuador has an embassy in Berlin and a consulate in Hamburg. Germany has an embassy in Quito. |
| Greece | | Greece is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. Ecuador holds a consulate in Athens. |
| Guyana | July 2, 1974 | Both countries established diplomatic relations on July 2, 1974. Both countries are full members of the Organization of American States. |
| India | | See Ecuador–India relations On November 16, 2008, the Foreign Minister of Ecuador Maria Isabel Salvador met her counterpart, Pranab Mukherjee, with a close relationship in oil and defence between these geographically distant countries high on the agenda. On the oil front, the new government in Ecuador has reversed the earlier revenue-sharing arrangements with western oil companies and is now keen on striking new partnerships with state-owned ONGC Videsh of India. In the defence sector, Ecuador became the first country to sign a contract for purchasing the Indian-made Dhruv helicopters, of which one will be for use by its president. The embassy has expanded its setup with the appointment of a Military Attache and prospects appear bright for more defence exports as Ecuador has agreed to be the servicing hub in South America for Indian defence equipment. |
| Iran | 1973 | See Ecuador–Iran relations Ecuador has maintained trade relations with Iran. In December 2008, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Saeed Jalili visited Ecuador. Alongside president Rafael Correa he called for greater "South–South" co-operation, a term denoting greater exchange of resources, technology, and knowledge between the global South. Iranian president Ahmadinejad also attended the inauguration of President Correa in January 2007. |
| Italy | | Ecuador has an embassy in Rome and a consulates-general in Genoa and Milan. Italy has an embassy in Quito. |
| Japan | August 26, 1918 | See Ecuador–Japan relations Ecuador has an embassy in Tokyo. Japan has an embassy in Quito. |
| Malaysia | | See Ecuador–Malaysia relations Relations with Malaysia covers on political, commercial, cultural and social activities. Both countries are the members of Non-Aligned Movement. Ecuador trade value with Malaysia are worth about US$15 million. |
| Mexico | 1837 Severed Diplomatic in 5 April 2024 | See Ecuador–Mexico relations In April 2024, Mexico severed diplomatic relations with Ecuador due to the raid on the Mexican embassy in Ecuador. |
| Netherlands | | The Netherlands are accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. Ecuador has an embassy in The Hague, a consulate in Rotterdam, and a vice consulate in Amsterdam. |
| Palestine | 2010 | Ecuador recognized the State of Palestine in 2010. |
| Paraguay | | Ecuador has an embassy in Asuncion. Paraguay has an embassy in Quito. |
| Peru | | See Ecuador–Peru relations The Paquisha War was a brief military clash that took place between January and February 1981 between Ecuador and Peru over the control of three watchposts. Since the 1990s, Ecuadoran foreign policy has been focused on the country's border dispute with Peru, an issue that has festered since independence. The boundary dispute led to the Cenepa War between Ecuador and Peru in early 1995; after a peace agreement brokered by the four Guarantors of the Rio Protocol (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and the United States), the Military Observers Mission to Ecuador-Peru (MOMEP) was set up to monitor the zone. In 1998, Presidents Jamil Mahuad of Ecuador and Alberto Fujimori of Peru signed a comprehensive settlement over control of the disputed zone. |
| Poland | | Ecuador is accredited to Poland from its embassy in Vienna, Austria. Poland is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. |
| Romania | | Romania is accredited to Ecuador from Lima, Peru, and has consulates in Quito and Guayaquil. |
| Russia | | See Ecuador–Russia relations Ecuador has an embassy in Moscow. Russia has an embassy in Quito. |
| Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic | 1983 Suspended Diplomatic in 23 October 2024 | Further information: List of ambassadors of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic to Ecuador Ecuador has a non-resident embassy in New York. The SADR has an embassy in Quito. |
| South Africa | | Ecuador has an embassy in Pretoria. South Africa is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. |
| Spain | 1840 | See Ecuador–Spain relations Ecuador has an embassy in Madrid and consulates-general in Alicante, Barcelona, Málaga, Murcia, Palma and Valencia. Spain has an embassy in Quito and a consulate-general in Guayaquil. |
| Sweden | | Ecuador has an embassy in Stockholm. Sweden has a consulate in Quito. |
| Thailand | | Thailand is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru, and holds a consulate general in Quito. Ecuador has an consulate in Bangkok. |
| Turkey | 1950 | See Ecuador–Turkey relations Ecuador has an embassy in Ankara and a consulate in Istanbul. Turkey has an embassy in Quito and a consulate in Guayaquil. Trade volume between the two countries was US$117 million in 2019 (Ecuadorian exports/imports: 58/59 million USD. |
| United Arab Emirates | | The United Arab Emirates is accredited to Ecuador from its embassy in Lima, Peru. Ecuador has an embassy in Abu Dhabi. |
| United Kingdom | | See Foreign relations of the United Kingdom Ecuador established diplomatic relations with the United Kingdom on 29 January 1853. Ecuador maintains an embassy in London. The United Kingdom is accredited to Ecuador through its embassy in Quito. Both countries share common membership of the International Criminal Court, and the World Trade Organization, as well as the Andean Countries–UK Free Trade Agreement. Bilaterally the two countries have a Double Taxation Agreement. Relations between the United Kingdom and Ecuador were traditionally regarded as "low-key but cordial", especially before the election of Rafael Correa; the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall visited the country in 2009, as part of a tour celebrating the bicentenary of Charles Darwin. President Correa visited London in the same year, speaking mostly in English at the London School of Economics about the changes his government was making. In 2012, relations became strained when Julian Assange, founder of the WikiLeaks website, entered the Ecuadorian embassy in London and sought asylum. Assange had lost legal appeals against his extradition to Sweden where he was wanted for questioning about alleged sexual assault and rape, but while within the embassy he was on diplomatic territory and beyond the reach of the British police. The United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office delivered a note to the Ecuadorian government in Quito reminding them of the provisions of the Diplomatic and Consular Premises Act 1987 which allow the British government to withdraw recognition of diplomatic protection from embassies; the move was interpreted as a hostile act by Ecuador, with Foreign Minister Ricardo Patiño stating that this "explicit threat" would be met with "appropriate responses in accordance with international law". Assange was granted diplomatic asylum on August 16, 2012, with Foreign Minister Patiño stating that Assange's fears of political persecution were "legitimate". Finally, President Lenín Moreno revoked Assange's asylum in April 2019. In reaction, the British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, thanked Moreno for his cooperation to "ensure Assange faces justice". |
| United States | | See Ecuador–United States relations The United States and Ecuador used to maintain close ties based on mutual interests in maintaining democratic institutions; combating cannabis and cocaine; building trade, investment, and financial ties; cooperating in fostering Ecuador's economic development; and participating in inter-American organizations. Ties were further strengthened by the presence of an estimated 150,000–200,000 Ecuadorians living in the United States and by 24,000 U.S. citizens visiting Ecuador annually, and by approximately 15,000 U.S. citizens residing in Ecuador. The United States assisted Ecuador's economic development directly through the Agency for International Development (USAID) program in Ecuador and through multilateral organizations such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank. In addition, the U.S. Peace Corps operates a sizable program in Ecuador. More than 100 U.S. companies are doing business in Ecuador. The relations deteriorated greatly during the presidency of Rafael Correa since 2007 until 2017. The relations, however, improved significantly during the presidency of Lenin Moreno since 2017. In February 2020, his visit to Washington was the first meeting between an Ecuadorian and U.S. president in 17 years. Ecuador has an embassy in Washington, D.C., and several consulates throughout the country. United States has an embassy in Quito and a consulate in Guayaquil. |
| Uruguay | | See Ecuador–Uruguay relations Ecuador has an embassy in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Quito. |
| Venezuela | | See Ecuador–Venezuela relations Diplomatic ties trace back to the Spanish colonization of the Americas. With the independence both countries united under the Gran Colombia along with New Granada (then Colombia and Panama). After the dissolution of the Gran Colombia, Ecuador named Don Pedro Gual as plenipotentiary minister with the main task of resolving the debt acquired while part of the Gran Colombia union as well as to establish diplomatic relations with the New Granada and Venezuela. On August 4, 1852, Venezuela sent a diplomatic delegation in Quito and named José Julián Ponce as finance administrator. The relations remained cordial and entered into a second period between 1910 and 1963 with two diplomatic incidents occurring in 1928 and 1955. Ecuador and Venezuela strengthened ties in politics, diplomacy and military. During the presidency of Lenin Moreno since 2017, Ecuador broke diplomatic relations with Venezuela. Ecuador did not any more recognize the regime of Nicholas Maduro. Instead, Ecuador recognized and supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Interim President of Venezuela. |