Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pursuant to the Answer of 15 January 2024 to Question 9041 on Ecuador: Emergency Powers, what steps his Department (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to support Ecuador.

Staff in Quito and London remain in regular contact with the Ecuadorean authorities following recent security incidents and the declaration of a nationwide state of emergency in January. Our wide-ranging security cooperation includes practical capacity and capability support, such as the donation in early March of essential security equipment which will bolster frontline police capability and protection. I [Minister Rutley] spoke with Ecuadorean Foreign Minister Sommerfeld on 7 March and reaffirmed the UK's commitment to supporting Ecuador in its fight against serious organised crime. We are committed to supporting the country in ensuring that the rule of law prevails.