Seat of Amazon cooperation organization inaugurated in Brazil

The bloc is formed by eight countries for the protection of the Amazon

Published on 22/10/2021 - 11:11 By Agência Brasil - Brasília

The headquarters of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)—an intergovernmental body formed by eight Amazon countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela, all signatories in the Amazon Cooperation Treaty—have been inaugurated in Brasília. The ACTO is Latin America’s only socio-environmental bloc.

At the ceremony, Brazil was represented by vice-President Hamilton Mourão, who has been chair of the country’s National Legal Amazon Council since the beginning of last year, spearheading government measures on deforestation and fires in the Amazon biome—the planet’s biggest rainforest, brought to the attention of nations across the world.

“We have reiterated at a number of international forums our commitment to making the ACTO a reference in matters of regional cooperation, political dialog, and common attitudes regarding topics on the international agenda linked to the Amazon,” he stated.

At the inauguration, held Thursday (Oct. 21), Mourão mentioned that the ACTO is the only Brazil-based multilateral organization. The bloc, he went on, “is a heritage of regional diplomacy and boasts vast experience in the promotion of political dialog and regional cooperation for the benefit of Amazon countries.”

O Vice-Presidente da República, Hamilton Mourão, durante Inauguração do Observatório da Amazônia - ORA.
At the ceremony, Brazil was represented by vice-President Hamilton Mourão, who has been chair of the country’s National Legal Amazon Council since the beginning of last year - Romério Cunha/ VPR

Brazilian Amazon

In his address, the vice-president took stock of the measures under the Amazon Council, listing the operations of the Armed Forces in the region as well as other initiatives of the government to curb wrongdoing.

“We have enhanced the systems for monitoring and support in decision making, in addition to stepping up environmental and land regulation programs. We have authorized new admissions for environmental law enforcement agencies and boosted the engagement of other public security forces—like the Federal Police and the National Force—in the fight against environmental offenses.”

Mourão also said that the Brazilian government manage to reverse the increasing trajectory in deforestation and to ensure the conditions for a quicker recovery in the coming months.

Translation: Fabrício Ferreira -  Edition: Lílian Beraldo / Nira Foster

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