Brazil, Colombia to launch program for quilombola communities
Afro-descendant communities in Brazil and Colombia are set to benefit from a new bilateral program aimed at protecting their lands, conserving biodiversity, and promoting traditional agricultural practices. This initiative will be unveiled this week in Cali, Colombia, during COP-16, the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, running from October 21 to November 1.
“We are presenting a joint proposal from Brazil and Colombia at COP16, aimed at recognizing Afro-descendant peoples in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity,” announced Paula Balduíno, director of Policies for Quilombolas and Romani at Brazil's Ministry of Racial Equality, during a session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS) last week.
The program, named "Quilombo of the Americas," to be launched by the governments of Brazil and Colombia, aims to strengthen the identity, memory, and resistance of Afro-descendant communities. It seeks to create a platform for cooperation and articulation, promoting the recognition of their rights, cultural preservation, and advancing social and racial justice, according to Brazil's Ministry of Racial Equality.
Biodiversity
The Biodiversity COP, whose theme this year is Peace with Nature, is the result of a United Nations treaty established during ECO-92, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro. It is regarded as one of the most significant international agreements on environmental protection.
Since then, UN member states have regularly updated the targets. By 2023, 23 goals have been established to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, guiding nature toward recovery for the benefit of the global population. These targets focus on conserving and sustainably using biodiversity while ensuring the fair and equitable distribution of benefits derived from genetic resources.
