This will not affect Peace Corps Ecuador (in fact one group is COSing in January and another is arriving), but here is some pretty startling news out of Ecuador:
The US Agency for International Development says it plans to leave Ecuador amid an impasse with the government, just six months after the agency was kicked out of Bolivia, in what analysts say is another sign of the waning US influence in the region.
In a letter to USAID partners in the country on Thursday, acting Mission Director Christopher Cushing said the decision to leave Ecuador comes “as a result of the Government of Ecuador’s decision to prohibit approval of new USAID assistance programs.”
Mr. Cushing said the agency had $32 million in aid scheduled for programs in coming years in Ecuador, according to the letter, a copy of which was obtained byThe Christian Science Monitor. A USAID official confirmed the letter’s authenticity.
“The government of Ecuador recently informed USAID it could not execute any new assistance activities or extend existing activities pending negotiation of a new agreement governing bilateral assistance,” says the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of sensitive negotiations with the Ecuadorean government.
We hope to have some news from Peace Corps about whether this will have any bearing on its operations in the country.
The possible termination of USAID activities in Ecuador is certainly news. I am glad that FOE is providing this kind of information to those of us who have spent time in Ecuador.
Hugh Dufner
Ex Peace Corps Ecuador Volunteer, 1967-73
hi hugh: still haven’t figured out how to use linkedin–too busy with my family situation and work but john lowry just told me about this friends of ecuador so keep me posted!