Brasilia, April 20, 2016.- In Brasilia, Brazil on April 18-19 a meeting was held with the participation of the representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), David Cotacachi, and delegates of Member Countries of ACTO. The meeting aimed to discuss the situation of indigenous peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI), and its relations with other indigenous peoples living in the regions surrounding their territories.
The General Secretary of ACTO, Ambassador Jacqueline Mendoza in the opening of the meeting mentioned the role of ACTO in looking for the reduction of asymmetries among the Member Countries and therefore the priority of accompanying processes providing the necessary tools for South-South cooperation.
During the meeting the delegates identified different level issues affecting the way of life of indigenous peoples. In addition, it was stated that the health situation caused by diseases and epidemics, such as malaria, tuberculosis, and other onchocerciasis threaten the existence of these peoples.
With the presence of the President of the National Foundation for the Indian of Brazil (FUNAI), João Pedro Gonçalves, the representatives of the Ministry of Health, Edgard Dias Magalhães and the Secretary-General of ACTO, the strategies to be adopted were discussed within the project Indigenous Peoples in Border Areas currently being funded by the IDB in coordination with the Permanent Secretariat of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization, based in Brasilia.
Source: ACTO
