The Memorandum of Understanding was signed on May 31. The next step will be the preparation of a work plan with the definition of priority studies on the Amazon region.
In a digital event that took place on Monday (May 31), the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and the Institute for Applied Economic Research (Ipea) signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation and future studies and research on the Amazon region. Ipea is a Brazilian public foundation that provides technical and institutional support to government actions for the formulation and reformulation of public policies and programs for Brazil’s development.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary General and Executive Director of ACTO, Alexandra Moreira and Carlos Lazary, respectively; the substitute president of Ipea, José Ronaldo de Castro Souza Júnior; the secretary of Bilateral and Regional Negotiations in the Americas of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva; and the Senator and president of the Amazonian Parliament, Nelson Trad.
The Secretary General of ACTO emphasized in her presentation that the main objective of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty is the realization of joint efforts and actions to promote the harmonious development of the respective Amazonian territories, and that these actions produce equitable and mutually beneficial results, as well as for the preservation of the environment and the conservation and rational use of the natural resources of these territories. And all this, in order to raise the standard of living of their peoples and achieve the full incorporation of the Amazonian territories into the respective national economies.
“Since we assumed the new Board in 2019, we have strived to seek and find different strategic partners to cooperate with the work of ACTO and comply with the ACT. We believe that by joining efforts from different areas and spheres of action we will be able to achieve greater sustainability in the Amazon region,” said Alexandra Moreira.
Ipea’s substitute president mentioned that the Memorandum of Understanding represents an important cooperation between the institutions. “Ipea will fulfill its mission to develop the necessary studies to contribute to the sustainable development of the region,” said José Ronaldo de Castro Souza Júnior.
The representative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Brazil highlighted the progress made by ACTO such as the creation of the Amazon Regional Observatory, the Bioamazon Project and the rapid assessment of biodiversity. For Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva, health, ecosystem conservation, modernization of the economy and infrastructure are four strategic issues for Brazil and ACTO Member Countries. “ACTO is one of the most active forums for the region and the Memorandum of Understanding will allow studies for the sustainable development of the Amazon on strategic issues,” he said.
The Senator of Brazil and President of the Amazonian Parliament (Parlamaz), Nelson Trad, recalled that the research agenda on the Amazon region will benefit all ACTO Member Countries. “We know that the challenges of the region are enormous and the main one is balanced development. In the past, we had the opportunity to reactivate Parlamaz to strengthen and consolidate important regional policies. Parlamaz will also benefit from the production of knowledge between Ipea and ACTO”, said the senator.
Development and Equality
Alexandra Moreira stressed the urgency of working on the development of policies and actions that reinforce and seek greater equality in these Amazonian territories, understanding equality also as the possibility of closing technological and productive asymmetries that impede greater progress.
“Equality is a constitutive element of the very concept of development. Article 11 of the ACT already indicated that, for the purpose of increasing the rational use of the human and natural resources of their respective Amazonian territories, the Contracting Parties agreed to encourage the carrying out of studies and the adoption of joint measures to promote the economic and social development of these territories and to generate forms of complementation that reinforce the actions provided for in the national plans for the territories in question,” concluded the ACTO Secretary General.
Tempo do Mundo Magazine
On the same occasion, Ipea launched the call for articles for the 27th issue of the Tempo do Mundo magazine – The Challenges of the Amazon. The edition will be coordinated by Rosalia Arteaga, former president of Ecuador and first Secretary General of ACTO.
The Executive Director of ACTO, Ambassador Carlos Lazary, stressed the importance of reflection on the Amazon at the regional level and based on studies produced by the countries themselves, recognizing the role of other actors and institutions. “We are going to look for institutions similar to Ipea in the countries, always with a state perspective, to address and draw attention to the regional vision. The Amazon requires the strengthening of public policies,” said Lazary.
Published in the Bioamazon Newsletter, issue n. 9, May-June 2021.
