Santiago, November 28—Santiago, Chile, hosted the Regional Policy Dialogue on Disaster Risk Management (DRP) on November 26 and 27, 2024. This key event aimed to strengthen international partnerships in the fight against forest fires amidst the ongoing challenges of climate change. Organized by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and Chile’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the gathering brought together government representatives, international organizations, and sector experts.
The DRP served as a space for sharing mutual assistance experiences and enhancing governance in forest fire prevention and control, fostering regional collaboration and technical exchange.
Representing the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), Carlos Salinas, Environmental Coordinator, presented the 2024–2026 Biennial Work Plan for implementing the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance for Integrated Fire Management (MoU IFM). This collaborative effort involves ACTO member countries.
The MoU IFM, focused on Action Area No. 1: Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, aims to strengthen institutional capacity and governance in the Amazon region for managing risks associated with forest fires. Salinas emphasized the importance of cross-border cooperation networks, stating, “The exchange of knowledge and resources among member countries is crucial to confront challenges that transcend national boundaries.”
A Platform for Learning and Collective Action
The event, organized by the IDB, featured presentations from international experts, panel discussions, and working groups. Representatives from countries such as Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru highlighted progress and challenges in implementing policies to prevent and combat forest fires. ACTO’s active participation, with its integrated fire management approach, underscored the value of regional alliances as a key mechanism for addressing shared environmental challenges.
The DRP also provided participants with opportunities to analyze proposals for mutual assistance mechanisms and explore tools like operational plans and memorandums of understanding. These initiatives aim to enhance effective and sustainable governance in fire management, strengthening response capabilities to extreme events.
ACTO’s participation in the 2024 DRP reaffirms its commitment to protecting the Amazon, highlighting the urgency of reinforcing regional alliances to mitigate the impact of forest fires in a context of increasing climate vulnerability.
