Ecuador - Canada Aboriginal Relations

Cooperation between Canada and Ecuador on aboriginal issues encompasses the political, commercial and international development sections of the Canadian Embassy in Quito. Over the past two years, the Embassy has maintained a very close relationship with the national aboriginal organisation, CONAIE ( Confederation of the Aboriginal Nations of Ecuador ) and the CONFENIAE (Confederation of the Amazonian Aboriginal Nations of Ecuador). In 2000, representatives of the CONAIE led by their President, Antonio Vargas travelled to Calgary where they met the National Chief of the First Nations, and various local aboriginal leaders to discuss possible cultural and commercial partnerships.

This visit was followed by a visit of Canadian aboriginal leaders to Ecuador, in March 2001. Since then, a joint venture has been created and a formal proposal has been presented to the National Oil and Gas Company, Petroecuador, for the recuperation and commercialization of the flared gas in one of their oil fields - Campo Sacha. Negotiations on this project are to start in the near future.

Over the past few years, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), through its Ecuadorian - Canadian Development Fund (Fondo Ecuatoriano Canadiense) and the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives (CFIL), has supported a number of small-scale production projects in Ecuador's aboriginal communities. In 1999 the Fondo supported an agriculture project in a Quechua community located in the Province of Chimborazo. Thanks to the Fondo's support, this community has increased its agricultural production and improved its management of natural resources. In 2001 the CFIL financed the construction of a school for aboriginal students which live in the Commune of Cruz del Arenal located at 4230 metres of altitude at the foot of the Chimborazo volcano.

In short, the "aboriginal file" is one of the best examples of Canada's integrated approach to relations with one of our closest partners in Latin America.

Useful Links

The Canadian Embassy in Ecuador: www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca/ecuador/

CONAIE (Confederacón de Nacionalidades Indígenas del Ecuador): conaie.nativeweb.org/

FENOCIN (Confederación Nacional de Organizaciones Campesinas y Negras): www.fenocin.org/

Index of links to Indigenous Peoples in Ecuador abyayala.nativeweb.org/ecuador/

For more information, please contact Zoe Mullard at: zoe.mullard@dfait-maeci.gc.ca