The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador, Gabriela Sommerfeld, has submitted her resignation to President Daniel Noboa citing "health and personal reasons." Her departure comes amid a government restructuring process, which has reduced the number of ministries from 14 to 10 through the merger of several departments.
In a letter disseminated on social media, Sommerfeld recalls that "during my tenure, I worked to position Ecuador at the highest level of international diplomacy, strengthening our relations with the world, in defense of national interests; with the aim of building a more secure country, with greater development and that ultimately translates into the creation of more employment and opportunities for all," and confirms that she resigns "for personal and health reasons."
Sommerfeld also conveys a message of "admiration, respect, affection, and gratitude" to Noboa, thanking him for the trust placed in her and crediting him with the impetus to recover Ecuador's "presence, credibility, trust, and prestige" internationally, along with other achievements she reviews in her farewell letter.
The Presidency of Ecuador, in a separate statement, has acknowledged Sommerfeld's work at the head of the Foreign Ministry and has announced that her replacement will be Roberto Kury, until now Minister of Telecommunications.
The Executive emphasizes that, during her tenure, Sommerfeld "led a foreign policy focused on strengthening Ecuador's international presence, expanding strategic cooperation with allied countries, and positioning the Ecuadorian state's fight against transnational organized crime."
"The National Government wishes her success in her future projects and thanks her for her valuable contribution to strengthening Ecuador's international relations," adds the official note.
Next, the Presidency confirms that Kury will now assume leadership of Ecuadorian diplomacy. "The new foreign minister will assume the responsibility of continuing to strengthen a firm, strategic foreign policy aligned with national interests," the statement specifies.
Kury held the position of Minister of Telecommunications, one of the departments affected by the cabinet reduction plan promoted by Noboa to cut public spending and improve administrative efficiency.
Within the framework of this reform, the Government has unified the areas of economy, infrastructure, and employment into three major ministries. Thus, the former portfolios of Infrastructure and Transport, and of Telecommunications and Information Society are integrated into the new Ministry of Infrastructure and Technology, headed by Roberto Luque.