On 10 August, MINURSO observed the National Day of ECUADOR by raising its flag at the Mission HQ next to the UN flag.

On this day in 1809, the citizens of Quito, the capital of Ecuador, rebelled and declared their independence from Spain, but it was until 24 May 1822 that Ecuador obtained full independence. However, 10 August remained the symbol of the country’s independence struggle.

Ecuador has been contributing to UN peacekeeping operations since 1952,  and deploying Military Observers worldwide including three UNMOs serving currently in MINURSO. In 2003, the Peacekeeping Operations Unit & School “ECUADOR” (UEMPE) was founded in Quito and, since then, it has been offering a wide range of training courses for police, military and civilian personnel. The UEMPE became also an active member of the Latin American Association of Peacekeeping Operations Training Centers.

The flag of Ecuador consists of three horizontal strips: the red one stands for the blood shed by the soldiers and martyrs of the battles of Independence. The blue represents the color of the ocean and the sky. The yellow symbolizes the abundance and fertility of the harvests and the land.

¡Feliz Día Nacional Ecuador!