The Central Bank of Ecuador took part in the launch of the second edition of the MejORO training programme and confirmed that it will serve as a trainer in the 2026 edition. The programme, part of planetGOLD Ecuador, promotes responsible, sustainable and mercury-free practices in artisanal and small-scale mining, and the bank’s role is aimed at strengthening formalization, traceability and transparency across the gold value chain. MejORO trained 130 miners from 20 organizations in 2025, and the 2026 edition expands the training topics and adds five sites in mining districts in southern Ecuador. Alongside the programme, the Central Bank of Ecuador and planetGOLD Ecuador are working on gold supply chain risk management, reviewing mechanisms to improve access to financial products for artisanal and small-scale mining, improving commercialization infrastructure and processes, and assessing how processing plants in Zamora Chinchipe and El Oro could be incorporated into the bank’s formal gold commercialization process.