Reyes: “Export should not advance alone as a war horse”
Ecuadornews:
The Chamber created a committee for negotiations and reactivation of the Investment and Trade Council, because it is this space that will open the door for the commercial agreement with US María Antonieta Reyes, executive director of Amcham, told Diario EXPRESO.
The Chamber turns 38 years old, what is the work that has been done?
The purpose is to promote bilateral relations with the US In the last year and a half, the Government of Ecuador took a turn in terms of trade liberalization and Amcham saw a great opportunity to rethink the representativeness and leadership in the relationship with US Now we are pushing, as a private sector, the normalization of relations with US As Ambassador Carrión said, with whom we were in Washington a few weeks ago.
What is the first step before reaching a commercial agreement with the US?
It is to reactivate the Council of Investments and Commerce (TIC for its acronym in English), is a bilateral mechanism that had its last meeting in 2009. It is a table where the two nations put issues that concern them. Amcham is working with Minister Pablo Campana and the US ambassador to reactivate this table. In the coming days there will be a very important visit, from an official of the United States Commerce Council and it will be one of the fundamental elements for us to continue in this process of reactivating TIC.
In the conjuncture, how much does the name Assange weigh?
Assange is an issue that at this time should not affect the reactivation of TIC. It will have to be addressed and resolved at some point.
While this is going on, there are companies in the US who have arrived or are yet to arrive to invest in Ecuador?
There are a couple of engineering companies that have already entered, one of them is doing a temple. There are two airlines, Cargill, etc .; then there is interest and the Law of Promotion is transcendental.
Is there information about companies that are about to arrive in 2019?
The ministry must have information, but the Chamber organizes a discussion on this subject; however, the regulation must be ready beforehand. In addition, the Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade and Investment is going to put a window there to carry out all the procedures, to invest. It seeks to improve in the Doing Business ranking. Then there are some companies in line to enter, but all await the regulations of the Law of Development. It is expected that there is security and legal stability.
There is a lot of work to be done, the non-oil trade balance increased its deficit by 59%.
A constant promotion is required so that exports gain market and this implies to clearly inform our difference, the added value. The brand that has been taken out for shrimp and other products is good, the banana will be launched this week in its forum.
How is the indicated figure explained?
There are four fundamental pillars: imports, exports, investments; in the middle is the negotiation and behind it a productive apparatus and a public function that must flow correctly. We must remember that today’s numbers are a reflection of the actions of recent years. That closure (through surcharges) that Ecuador had, which was perhaps necessary from the macroeconomic point of view, limited imports and the growth of competitiveness. So what happened is that two pillars weakened: imports and investments; and exports were left as a warhorse advancing alone and that cannot be the case. Hence the importance of the turnaround that has occurred now and the reason that the private sector, Amcham and the public sector push an agreement with the US. (I)
Andrés Michelena: “We request prohibition of alienation of property of the entire Alvarado family”
The Secretary of Communication, Andrés Michelena, confirmed the flight of the former Minister of Communication, Fernando Alvarado. Faced with this, he announced that they took as a measure the prohibition of alienation of property that is in the hands of the family of the Alvarado brothers and their close relatives. In addition, he indicated that an investigation was launched to find out how the collaboration of the ex-secretary of communication’s escape happened.
This Sunday, Andrés Michelena, Secretary of Communication of the Presidency, reported that there are 11 investigations carried out against the former minister and, therefore, Alvarado fled, in addition to the former Undersecretary of Communication, Pablo Yánez, announced that would reveal confidential information of alleged irregularities when Alvarado managed SECOM.
“We exhort that all protection measures be given to Pablo Yánez,” he said.
He announced that they have taken two measures. First, that all high and middle officials of the previous regime of Rafael Correa, who are now in the process of being investigated by the Comptroller’s Office and the Prosecutor’s Office, are prohibited from leaving the country.
In addition, he said, they requested a ban on the alienation of property all assets that are in the hands of the family of the Alvarado brothers and their close relatives.
He argued that precautionary measures were put in place to investigate how the collaboration of the ex-secretary of communication’s escape occurred.
On October 19, Fernando Alvarado appeared before the Provincial Court of Justice of Guayas to sign the book of assistance, a measure ordered by the Ecuadorian justice to ensure his appearance in the trial for alleged embezzlement.
However, the night of Saturday, October 20, the Interior Minister, María Paula Romo, reported that information is being verified that Alvarado had removed the electronic shackle and left the country. (I)
Source: https://www.expreso.ec/economia/exportacion-comercioexterior-empresas-productos-aranceles-NC2433917