Ecuador includes commitment to the FiTI in latest OGP National Action Plan
Quito, Ecuador – The Ecuadorian Government has announced its commitment to implement further activities of the Fisheries Transparency Initiative (FiTI) as part of the country’s 2nd National Action Plan under the Open Government Partnership (OGP). Ecuador becomes the first OGP country in the Americas to anchor its commitment to fisheries transparency within its wider efforts for open government.
Ecuador is a member of the Open Government Partnership since 2018.
“Just weeks after becoming the region’s first FiTI Candidate country, this commitment is another clear demonstration of the Ecuadorian Government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the fisheries sector,” said Mr. Nicolás Rovegno, Regional Coordinator for Latin America of the FiTI. “Transparency and open government go hand in hand. By implementing the FiTI Standard and increasing transparency in the fisheries sector, Ecuador will be building a more open, accountable, and responsive government that serves the needs of all citizens”.
The FiTI-related OGP commitment (EC0020) is highly relevant to the OGP values, as it promotes fisheries transparency through publishing information in an up-to-date and accessible manner, strengthens accountability through an annual FiTI Report and enables citizen participation, inter alia, through the formation of a National Multi-Stakeholder Group.
FiTI-related activities and deliverables in Ecuador’s National Action Plan 2022-2024 include the following:
- Institutionalize the operation of the FiTI and its National Multi-Stakeholder Group in accordance with current Ecuadorian legal mechanisms [January 2023 – September 2023].
- Evaluate the progress of the FiTI implementation through an annual FiTI Report in accordance with the FiTI Standard [January 2023 – November 2023].
- Develop and implement a roadmap to address the recommendations of Ecuador’s TAKING STOCK transparency assessment [January 2023 – June 2024].
- Develop and implement an action plan to promote the dissemination and use of published information [January 2023 – December 2024].
The Ministry of Production, Foreign Trade, Investment and Fisheries of Ecuador (MPCEIP) – through its Vice-Ministry of Aquaculture and Fisheries – is the FiTI Lead Ministry for Ecuador. Supported by several organizations from the government, fisheries sector and civil society, as part of the recently formed National Multi-Stakeholder Group, it is expected that by implementing the above-mentioned activities Ecuador will be able to become a FiTI Compliant country.