The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) concluded its work during the Amazon Dialogues, in Belém (PA), between 4 and 6 August, as a protagonist and acting together with the various discussions in favour of a developed, sustainable and preserved Amazon.
More than 27,000 people from different regions of Brazil and the world debated the various and complex initiatives, problems and viable solutions for the sustainability of the most important biome in the world.
For the Secretary General of ACTO, Alexandra Moreira, the plural and diverse form with various actors from civil society, governments and institutions of various instances converged in debates on the search for different models of development.
“We have a lot of diversity, which we will have to face from the public management of each of our Amazonian countries, at national and regional levels. We cannot manage the Amazon without helping its ecosystem,” she said.
For the representative of the eight Amazonian countries, everyone who wants this region developed cannot have a mistaken view of what the region is, believing that the biome is just an ecological sanctuary. According to Alexandra, it is necessary to see its social, economic and also cultural dimension, and of course, its environmental dimension.
“We are here to point out ways for innovative development, which is obviously sustainable, and that we can provide basic needs such as water, sanitation, education, job creation and ways of maintaining the way of life of forest communities, especially indigenous peoples,” she recalled.
ACTO dialogues
ACTO promoted at least six panel discussions during the three days of Amazon Dialogues. It also participated in seminars held by partners, in addition to building action agreements at the Brazilian level and also with the eight Amazonian countries. It even exchanged experiences with nations that have the other two largest biomes in the world – Congo and Indonesia.
Check out the thematic activities discussed and led by ACTO and its partners during the three days of Amazon Dialogues:
Dialogues on regional cooperation for the promotion of socio-bio-economic chains in the Amazon – the important efforts and contributions of the eight Amazonian countries under their “Forest and Biological Diversity Programme for the Amazon Region” were presented. The contributions in the discussions aim to improve the management of biological diversity and the protection of indigenous peoples’ traditional knowledge, promote conservation and Sustainable Forest Management/Integral and Sustainable Management of Amazonian Forests through coordination, cooperation and implementation actions among ACTO members.
Integrated Fire Management Workshop (Fire Panel) – meeting, which was attended by the Minister of Environment of Congo, Arlette Soudan-Nonault. The discussions were prioritised on pointing out actions for the immediate and short-term implementation foreseen in the Integrated Fire Management among ACTO Member Countries (MIF MOU), on the creation of the Amazon Network for Integrated Fire Management, establishment of a training schedule for public managers on the Fire Panel and the Amazon Regional Observatory (ORA).
Connecting Science, Policy and Society as an Input for Decision Making: Rapid Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the Amazon Basin/Region – the results of the Rapid Assessment Summary for Decision Makers were presented, to expand the work done on the subject, as a strategic input that will contribute to the decision-making of initiatives in the region.
Indigenous Peoples in Isolation and Initial Contact (PIACI) – event was attended by the president of the National Foundation for Indigenous Peoples (Funai), Joênia Wapichana, and the Special Secretary for Indigenous Health (Sesai), Weibe Tapeba. Its objective was to create, in an articulated and collaborative way, a space for reflection and proposals on the situation of PIACI in the Amazonian countries where there are confirmed records of these peoples.
Advances in the construction of the Amazon Platform of Indigenous Peoples within the framework of ACTO and Amazon Indigenous Peoples Towards the COP – the event discussed the implementation of the project that creates a regional Amazon platform of indigenous peoples. The aim is to increase the participation and inclusion of these peoples and their knowledge in an integrated manner, and in the fight against climate change at national and international levels.
New technical cooperation for the Amazon region from ACTO and strategic partners – was also attended by international actors beyond the Amazon countries. It was a meeting with the intention of joining efforts to strengthen ACTO’s capacities, intensify cooperation in the area of knowledge and comprehensive information, as a comprehensive and broad response to the problem of development in the Amazon region, considering the various environmental, social and economic needs and vulnerabilities.
Workshop of the water directors of the Amazonian countries – a meeting with representatives of water resources management from the member countries. The outcome of this meeting was the creation of the Amazon Network of Water Authorities (RADA), with the aim of developing and establishing the permanent regional coordination mechanism within ACTO. The Network is formed by the representative of the national agency responsible for water management in each of the member countries.
Participatory integration
Also during the Amazon Dialogues, demonstrating its importance in view of the initiatives discussed at the events, ACTO participated in events with institutional partners, which are part of the network for strengthening and developing the Amazon region.
A highlight was the meeting with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC) at the Roundtable that discussed “The Future of International Cooperation for the Development of the Amazon Region”. There was also a meeting with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) to promote cooperation between institutions for the protection of biodiversity and sustainable development in the Amazon countries.
Also in partnership with ABC, the National Water Agency (ANA), the Ministry of Integration and Regional Development (MIDR) and the government of Pará, the Amazon Dialogues also hosted the Signing Ceremony of the Pact for Water Governance with the State of Pará.
