We are proud to announce that Maria Fernanda Espinosa, member of our Andes Advisory Board since its inception in 2001, has been named the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Ecuador. Appointed by Ecuador’s newly elected leftist President, Rafael Correa, Maria Fernanda will serve as Foreign Minister until 2011.
For the past 10 years, Maria Fernanda has worked for The World Conservation Union (IUCN), most recently as the Regional Director for South America. She has colloborated with institutions including the Inter-American Bank, World Wildlife Fund, various UN divisions, and several Ecuadorian groups like the Confederation of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin.
In her first public appearances as future Minister, she expressed her mission to include biodiversity, nature conservation, and sustainable development issues in Ecuadorian foreign affairs and in the regional policy discussions. And she is already hard at work to make this true–on March 6 she said that Ecuador will continue its case in The Hague against Colombia for the country’s alleged use of aerial herbicides in the border area. Colombia’s use of the herbicide, aimed at eradicating coca plantations, has affected the health and land of its citizens on the Ecuadorian side of the border—not to mention in Colombia as well. Maria Fernanda recommended several grants in this area during her tenure as an advisor for us.
We feel lucky to have been able to count Maria Fernanda as part of our network. She has been a valuable and inspiring partner and has volunteered innumerable hours for Greengrants. While she has rotated off of our Andes Advisory Board, we expect to hear many great things from her in the future. Congratulation, Maria Fernanda!