Ecuador's President  Rafael Correa, accompanied by USAID
representatives and IOM staff, yesterday visited several
communities in Sucumbíos Province that have benefited from
IOM programmes.

Mr. Correa visited the communities of Lago Agrio, General
Farfán, Cascales, San Francisco, and Joya de los Sachas;
held meetings with small business owners and agricultural workers
and inaugurated a new water system in San Francisco built through
the IOM Integrated Municipal Development Programme, financed by the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

The new water system was built with support from the Mayor's
Office which provided the land for the project and community
residents, who contributed with labour.  Now every home in San
Francisco is receiving clean drinking water.

Cesar Castillo, President of the Water Board said: "We are
honored to have the President visit our community.  And we are
thankful to Plan Ecuador, IOM and USAID for building this water
system which will improve our lives so in many ways, especially the
children's lives."

The Sucumbíos Province, located in northeastern Ecuador
is considered the most vulnerable region of the country because it
shares an extensive and porous border with the Colombian department
Putumayo which is heavily affected by the armed conflict in
Colombia.

IOM programmes are designed to strengthen these communities that
receive displaced Colombians, improving the living conditions of
its members by building or rehabilitating basic services, including
potable water and sewage systems, and improving
transportation-related infrastructure, such as roads and
bridges.  More than 73 projects have been carried out
benefitting some 75,000 persons in Sucumbios province.

For more information, please contact:

Ana Guzman

IOM Ecuador

Tel:  + (593-2) 225-3948

E-mail: "mailto:aguzman@iom.int">aguzman@iom.int