Cali, Colombia, October 24, 2024 – Social and sustainable development was presented as a key strategy to improve public security and promote human rights in the Amazon. This was the focus of a side event held as part of the 16th Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16). The event, titled “Social and Sustainable Development as a Strategy for Public Security and Human Rights Promotion in Drug Policies,” was organized in collaboration with the National Secretariat for Drug Policy (SENAD), part of Brazil’s Ministry of Justice and Public Security.
Marta Machado, National Secretary for Drug Policy, opened the event by highlighting the importance of a social approach to drug policy. According to Machado, promoting sustainable development in communities affected by drug trafficking is essential to ensure public security and protect human rights.
Guillermo García Miranda, Coordinator of the Alternative Development Division of the UNODC Regional Office, warned about the risks of drug trafficking in the Amazon, noting its links to illicit activities like illegal mining and logging. García Miranda emphasized the need to implement coordinated and sustainable actions to address these issues and strengthen local capacities.
From a socio-environmental perspective, Rebeca Lerer, Coordinator of the Intersection Project, discussed the relationship between land use, drug policies, and climate justice. Lerer, an activist and journalist, stressed the importance of incorporating these approaches into public policies to address the region’s challenges comprehensively.
Nathalia Oliveira, from the Black Initiative for a New Drug Policy, called for the urgent need to develop more inclusive and equitable drug policies for Afro-descendant communities and other vulnerable populations. Oliveira emphasized the necessity of integrating a social justice perspective into public security strategies.
The event concluded with remarks from Freddy Mamani, Coordinator of Indigenous Affairs at OTCA, who outlined the next steps to strengthen regional cooperation in the Amazon. Mamani highlighted that the proposals presented align with the goals of the Belém Declaration, signed at the IV Meeting of Presidents of the States Parties to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty. He also noted that environmental crimes, such as land grabbing, illegal logging, and unregulated mining, destabilize local communities and threaten the region’s biodiversity.
The event represented an opportunity to reinforce the region’s commitment to social and sustainable development, in line with the objectives of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
