BOGOTA, Colombia

Turkiye is aiming to advance bilateral relations with Ecuador, said Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, who is currently in Ecuador's capital of Quito for official talks.

Cavusoglu embarked on a tour of Latin America this week, which includes visits to six countries, among them Ecuador, where he met with the country's Foreign Minister Juan Carlos Holguin.

"My visit to Quito is of special importance as it marks the very first official visit by a Turkish Foreign Minister. It is so refreshing and promising to be in such a friendly country with which we share a wide positive agenda and a mutual commitment to further advance our relations in every possible field," he said in an article published in an online journal named Nota Diplomatica Ecuador on Tuesday.

Highlighting “political dialogue, more economic cooperation and closer cultural relations” between the two countries, Cavusoglu mentioned the areas in which Turkiye wants to further strengthen ties with Ecuador.

“I am hoping that my visit to Ecuador today, will open new avenues of cooperation in trade and investments, cultural cooperation, education, energy and agriculture - just to name a few of these areas with great potential.”

He also talked about the importance of “addressing the challenges facing humanity as well as problems related to global governance.” The Turkish minister cited migration issues, “climate change, the fight against pandemics, terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking.”

He also assured that his country "will wholeheartedly” support Ecuador's upcoming membership in the UN Security Council.

“Given that many items on the Council’s agenda are related to issues in Turkiye's wider region, our close relations will help both our countries to bring an added value to the work of the Council,” he wrote.

Diplomatic relations between Ecuador and Turkiye date back to 1950 and gained particular momentum when Ecuador opened its Embassy in Ankara in 2009 and Turkiye in Quito in 2012.

Cavusoglu already paid an official visit to Uruguay and Brazil. After Ecuador, he will visit Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela, where he will discuss how to further develop bilateral relations with the region, as well as regional and international cooperation.