The Secretary-General welcomes the appointment of the new Court of Justice in Ecuador. He has sent Ms. Angela Kane, Assistant-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, as his representative to today's swearing in ceremony in Quito.

The Secretary-General notes that the selection of the judges to the Court of Justice was monitored by a group of international witnesses (veedores) from the Organization of American States, the Andean Community, and the United Nations, working in close consultation with the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Mr. Leandro Despouy.

The Secretary-General hopes that the appointment of the new Court will contribute to strengthening the rule of law and the protection of human rights in Ecuador.