Delegations from Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru gathered in Loja on November 27 and 28 for the event “Voces y saberes: encuentro regional para una producción responsable en la MAPE.” The meeting was organized by Proyecto planetGOLD Ecuador, an initiative of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, with support from the United Nations Development Programme in Ecuador and funding from the Global Environment Facility.
The event highlighted Ecuador’s role as a leader in transitioning toward formalized, inclusive, and mercury-free artisanal and small-scale mining (MAPE). This effort aligns with both national commitments and global environmental goals.
Participants included representatives from mining communities, financial institutions, academia, women’s organizations, and technical entities from all four countries. They exchanged best practices related to financing models and responsible commercialization to strengthen cooperation within the sector.
Discussions focused on three main themes. The first theme addressed gender and sustainability by emphasizing the contributions of community leaders and women’s organizations. Experiences shared during the event showed progress in increasing female participation, developing local businesses, and reducing gender gaps within MAPE.
The second theme centered on commercialization and financing. Financial institutions presented mechanisms designed to improve credit access for miners while strengthening traceability systems that connect artisanal production with responsible markets. Regional innovations were also discussed that aim to facilitate more formalized trading practices.
The third theme involved clean technologies. Universities, companies, and experts presented technical solutions already being implemented successfully. These included mercury-free processing models as well as evidence of risk reduction measures tied to sustainable formalization efforts.
As a result of these discussions, participating countries agreed on a regional roadmap aimed at enhancing cooperation among nations. The agreement seeks to promote ongoing exchanges of knowledge while scaling up initiatives that foster safer mining practices benefiting both communities and ecosystems directly.
According to organizers: “With these actions, El Nuevo Ecuador—through MAE—reaffirms its commitment to fostering dialogue spaces that facilitate knowledge transfer, innovation, and consolidation of responsible practices with the purpose of developing public policies and mechanisms that allow the country to advance towards sustainable production with social justice and environmental conservation.”
