Quito / New York

On 10 June 2021, the Chair of the PGA Ecuador National Group, Asambleista Esther Cuesta, convened the first National Group Meeting following Ecuador’s February 2021 general elections. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce PGA’s Programs and Campaigns to newly elected members of the National Assembly, and to elect a Secretary for the National Group.

Presentations centered on the Campaign for the Protection of the Oceans and Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Oceans Campaign), the Campaign for the Universality and Effectiveness of the Rome Statue of the International Criminal Court (ICC) System, and the Campaign for the Abolition of the Death Penalty (ADP).

During the open discussion, newly elected Secretary of the PGA Ecuador National Group, Asambleista Mauricio Zambrano (Member of the Transparency, Citizen Participation and Social Control Commission), highlighted the important role PGA plays by increasing peer-to-peer communication and knowledge on international treaties that advocate for the defense of human rights. To illustrate, Asambleista Zambrano noted the great strides that Ecuador has made towards the ratification of the Rome Statue of the ICC, and progress on the Arms Trade Treaty and the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.

Asambleísta Sofía Espín expressed appreciation for the safe space created by the National Group to address human rights abuses, particularly given the political persecution she has suffered throughout the last year. Asambleísta Espín also underscored the urgent need for Ecuador’s ratification of IMO’s Cape Town Agreement (CTA), highlighting the importance of a legal, regulatory framework, and how the ratification of the CTA would help with the overflow of vessels that enter illegally into Ecuador’s waters. She further elaborated that the current lack of regulations allowed for the ongoing overflow of vessels in Ecuadorian waters.

The CTA establishes mandatory global safety regulations for commercial fishing vessels. To date, 16 States with a total of 1,907 vessels have ratified the treaty, which requires ratification from 22 States with a total of 3,600 commercial vessels to enter into force.

Through the CTA, countries that have existing fishing vessel safety regulations can support a precedent of higher standards and protections for vulnerable workers facing abuses. Countries without such regulations now have a guideline to protect the valuable human aspect of their fishing industries. In October 2019, Ecuador became one of the 51 signatories to the Torremolinos Declaration, and committed to the ratification of the CTA by October 2022.

Asambleísta Zambrano closed the meeting by reiterating the importance of continued progress towards the ratification and implementation of the international instruments discussed during the meeting, which was attended by approximately 20 participants.