Colombia and Ecuador have vowed to build long-term friendly bilateral ties, Colombian Foreign Minister Maria Angela Holguin and her visiting Ecuadorian counterpart Ricardo Patino said in a joint statement Saturday.

The two ministers met to address the agenda to be discussed next Monday by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and his Ecuadorian counterpart Rafael Correa at their summit in Ipiales in the Colombia's southwestern Narino department.

"We have a good relationship with Ecuador as never before. But What we want for this meeting is also to think for a medium- to long-term" development of the bilateral ties, said Holguin in the statement.

Echoing Holguin, Patino, highlighting the relations with Colombia, said it is no longer to meet just to see what problems there are but to start to build a long-term vision for the development of the two countries, particularly in the border area.

The Rumichaca bi-national bridge will be inaugurated in Narino department, which is the main border crossing between the two South American nations.

"The new bridge is now in operation (...) the people of the Colombian department of Narino have been waiting for 40 years for this bridge to be finally in double lane (...) This is the proof that things can be achieved when each president and their teams have good relations and commitment," Holguin added.