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Ecuador, Spain ink cooperation agreements

11 November 2010 03:01 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. Ecuador and Spain Wednesday signed two cooperation agreements to support the environment-friendly program Yasuni-ITT and social security, APA reports quoting Xinhua News Agency.

The agreements were signed by Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez, who arrived in Ecuador Tuesday night for a visit, and his Ecuadorian counterpart, Ricardo Patino.

One agreement includes a donation of 1 million euros (1.377 million U.S. dollars) by the Spanish Cooperation Agency to the Yasuni-ITT, aiming to prevent oil-drilling in the Ecuadorian Amazons.

Under the ecological Yasuni-ITT program, donors will grant 3.6 billion dollars to Ecuador to support efforts that will prevent oil-drilling operations in part of Yasuni park, a jungle reserve that is home to an astounding variety of plants and animals.

The other agreement was on social security signed to protect the Spaniards living in Ecuador and the Ecuadorians living in Spain.

Jimenez also met with Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa and Spanish businessmen investing in Ecuador.