QUITO (AP) ― Actress Angelina Jolie visited Ecuador over the weekend in her first such trip as special envoy for the U.N. refugee agency.

Jolie has visited various countries over the past decade as a goodwill ambassador for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. The agency says this is her first trip as special envoy since her appointment earlier this month.

The agency said in a statement on Monday that Jolie was on her third trip to Ecuador to assess the situation of thousands of refugees who have fled violence in neighboring Colombia.

During a two-day visit, Jolie visited with impoverished Colombian refugees in northern Sucumbios province.

She also met on Sunday with Ecuadoran Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino. The U.N. agency says Jolie encouraged the government to continue providing assistance to refugee families.