The LACIF Technical Assistance conducted the site visit of the Post Earthquake Reconstruction project in Ecuador on June 27th 2023

Supported by an EU LAIF grant of € 7,280,000 and an EIB framework loan of € 65,000,000 the project aimed at addressing the aftermath of the 2016 earthquake by contributing to the rehabilitation and reconstruction of public buildings, markets, roads, and the re-establishment of water, sanitation, and energy supply, particularly in the province of Manabí, with a focus on the city of Portoviejo, which suffered the most. The socioeconomic status of the province is below the national average, with poverty and extreme poverty rates at 31.3% and 6.3% of the total population, respectively, compared to the national rates of 25.8% and 5.7%.

The technical assistance offered by EIB and LAIF supports both national and local authorities in ensuring the effective and transparent execution of the project. This includes among others, the development and implementation of an Environmental and Social Management Plan, a Stakeholders’ Engagement Plan, and the reinforcement of Ecuador’s Building Code (2015). In June 2023, the LACIF team visited the project to engage with stakeholders, and inspect reconstructed sites such as the seafood market, the mall and the Townhall of Portoviejo.