Ecuador - IOM Ecuador this week signed a cooperation agreement with the National Assembly of Ecuador to expand the exchange of experience and know-how that will support the creation of laws in favor of free mobility.

At the signing ceremony, the President of the National Assembly, Gabriela Rivadeneira, expressed to IOM Chief of Mission, Rogelio Bernal her country’s political will to receive assistance on issues of outmost interest that are part of the National Constitution.

“It is time to make the subject of human mobility visible and to generate legislation that will allow us to protect these rights.  We must build paradigms prioritizing mobility as a right for all human beings,” expressed Rivadeneira.

The President of the Assembly highlighted her hopes that by the end of 2015 there will be a consistent legislation on human mobility, supported by the contribution of all social organizations.

IOM Chief of Mission Rogelio Bernal praised the Assembly’s regard for humane migration as an important and outstanding issue, as well as the country’s willingness to favor the creation of laws that will sanction related migration issues, such as human trafficking and migrant smuggling.

Ecuador has a long history of emigration, but recently also stands out as a country of transit and destination of migrants and accounts for increasing flows of Ecuadorians returning to their country. Furthermore, the country is receiving the largest number of refugees in the region. Recent migration trends show constant immigration from the neighbouring countries Colombia and Peru and also increasingly from Spain and other countries affected by the European crisis. The Constitution, approved in 2008, recognizes “the right to migrate” and considers no human being as illegal based on their migrant status.

IOM has been working in Ecuador for 50 years. During this time, IOM implemented a variety of projects in different topics related to migration in order to strengthen government institutions and support vulnerable migrants. At the moment, the main work areas of IOM in Ecuador focus on cooperation with the Government in the fight against human trafficking and migrant trafficking, as well as with local governments in order to strengthen the assistance to people in search for international protection. Furthermore, IOM is working on topics of labour migration, the return and the integration of migrants.

The agreement with the National Assembly covers several aspects of cooperation, including migration governance, cooperation for the development of human resources, and an assessment of migratory legislation.  Both parties will also promote migration debates at the public and academic levels.

For further information, please contact

Jimena Almeida
IOM Ecuador
Tel: +593-2-244492-9/8/6
Email: jalmeida@iom.int