Facility agreement with Ecuador concluded
Facility agreements lay the political, legal and technical basis for cooperation on all issues related to the establishment and maintenance of an IMS station that may arise between the host country and the CTBTO. This includes the transfer of ownership for the station, arrangements with local station operators, assistance with the import of spare parts and physical security of the station.

The Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. Map: MatthewStevens
The CTBTO will give utmost priority to the establishment of the two monitoring stations in Ecuador, which will further increase our detection capabilities particularly in the Pacific region. I am grateful to the Government of Ecuador for its staunch support and cooperation. It is a strong vote of confidence, and an important reflection of the international community’s desire to complete the IMS.

Leonardo Arízaga, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and Human Mobility (left) with CTBTO head Lassina Zerbo in Quito, Ecuador, in April 2014
I would like to publicly recognize your untiring efforts to get us to where we are. We hope you visit Ecuador often. The doors are open. Now let us begin the next phase and work together as partners towards completing the IMS and, hopefully in the near future, seeing the entry into force of the Treaty.
Constructions works for the radionuclide station are scheduled to begin in 2015.

Click for brochure on the spin-off benefits of CTBTO data for disaster warning and science.
24 Feb 2015