Today in Quito, Ecuador, Administrator Samantha Power met with senior Ecuadorian government officials, launched a new USAID-funded democracy program to expand basic services in the country, and joined discussions with the U.S. Embassy and Consulate staff from the State Department and USAID.
Administrator Power began the day at the U.S. Embassy where she participated in a town hall with staff, thanked them for their work, and answered their questions. Next, she participated in a walking tour of Quito's historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and La Iglesia de la Compañía de Jesús.
Later, Administrator Power met with President Guillermo Lasso and other government leaders. The group discussed the progress that the U.S. and Ecuador have made during President Lasso's time in office to strengthen the bilateral relationship, advance the security and prosperity of Ecuadorians, and defend our shared democratic principles. Administrator Power thanked President Lasso for his collaboration across issues that are critical to the Ecuadorian people and his leadership on regional challenges such as migration.
Next, the Administrator met with President-elect Daniel Noboa and his team to congratulate him on his election and discuss opportunities for USAID to work with his government to build a more secure, prosperous, and democratic Ecuador. The Administrator relayed the United States' commitment to continue the partnership between our countries by collaborating with the Ecuadorian government, civil society, and private sector to address the most pressing issues facing Ecuadorians, including improving citizen security, creating economic opportunities, and increasing access to basic services for vulnerable communities.
Following the conversation with President-elect Noboa, the Administrator announced the launch of Tu Municipio Responde (TuMUNI), a program that will expand citizens' access to critical public services, including to water, sanitation, and hygiene, by strengthening the capacity of local governments to deliver such services effectively, transparently, and in response to citizens' needs. TuMUNI is part of USAID's global Partnership for Democratic Development (PDD) initiative. Administrator Power also announced that USAID will be upgrading our country office in Ecuador to a full Mission presence. This change reflects USAID's commitment to exploring new avenues of support for the Ecuadorian people and to doubling down on the projects we know are working right now.
Administrator Power finished the day meeting with USAID Foreign Service Nationals to hear their unique perspectives on the Mission's efforts to advance USAID policy priorities.
