The Ecuadorian Constitution defines our country as a territory of peace. Like...

The Ecuadorian Constitution defines our country as a territory of peace. Likewise, as a member of the Union of South American Nations, we have set out to build a region of peace where the peaceful resolution of disputes is promoted. We believe that this approach is fundamental to avoiding conflict. We understand that peace is not simply the absence of war, but that it requires us to work to eradicate poverty and inequality at the national and international levels. We must recognize that armed conflicts often arise in contexts of inequality between States resulting from an unjust international economic system and various forms of social exclusion and ethnic, religious and gender-based intolerance, which are determining factors at the root of armed conflicts and acts of violence. We must therefore call on States to avoid wars of aggression and the use of force against supposed threats and to respect the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples.