Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) political and (b) economic situation in Ecuador.

We have been actively monitoring the political and economic situation in Ecuador during the recent nationwide indigenous strikes and protests. We welcome the news that on 30 June a political agreement was reached between the Government and indigenous groups. Ensuring a peaceful and equitable resolution will be an important outcome for Ecuador. The recent protests have exposed long-standing socio-economic challenges in Ecuador that will require strong political will to resolve, both in the 90-day delivery timeframe of the political agreement and, importantly, in the long term.

Our Embassy remains in regular contact with the Ecuadorean authorities about the current situation. The immediate economic costs of the protests, and the associated damage, have been high for Ecuador. Delivering on the conditions of the political agreement will likely require further commitments to public spending with implications for Ecuador's economy. We will continue to monitor the political developments and the economic impact of the situation, particularly during the 90-day timeframe set for delivery of the political agreement.