Brazil proposes summit of Amazon countries in August – 06/04/2023 – Environment

The Brazilian government scheduled a meeting in Belém for the beginning of August, which intends to revive ACTO (Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization), which brings together the countries that make up the Amazon, and will serve to try to define a unique position for the region on development and fighting the climate crisis in international forums.

“It is an important meeting because the president [Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva] wants to coordinate with the other ACTO partners a view of the Amazon countries on the Amazon”, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, in a conversation this Thursday (6th) with foreign journalists.

Lula’s intention is to use this position agreed upon at the ACTO meeting for his speech at the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, in September, where climate change should be a central part of his speech.

“He wants to bring a little of the vision of all countries. The meeting must be promoted beforehand so that everyone contributes to a common policy that will be made”, explained Vieira.

Resuming ACTO is one of Lula’s goals in his third government. The group has had virtual presidential meetings in recent years, but with diminished relevance and with Brazil virtually abandoning the group’s deliberations.

The idea is to use the instance to unify the speeches of the eight countries that make up the group and attract investments to the region within the policies of combating deforestation, protection of indigenous peoples and development, with the objective of strengthening the position before international organizations and developed countries, the ones that most press for action in the region.

Macron and Kerry at the summit

The ACTO summit, initially scheduled for the 8th and 9th of August, this year should include the presence of the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, to represent French Guiana. The French president would come to Brazil on an official visit in the first half of this year, but the trip should then be postponed for the summit.

Also present should be the US special climate envoy, John Kerry, who confirmed that he intends to visit the Amazon this year, and the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, who had been staying away from regional meetings in recent years after the breakup of diplomatic relations with Brazil and shudders with other countries in the region.

Asked if there was even a set date for a first visit by Maduro to Brazil — there was speculation that it could be at the end of May — Mauro Vieira denied that there is a date, but stated that Maduro could visit the country at any time.

“Nothing was scheduled. But it’s very simple, it’s very easy, Venezuela is four or five hours away,” he said.

Vieira made it clear that Brazil wants to recover relations with Venezuela, cut off during the government of Jair Bolsonaro, and can act in the dialogue between the government and the opposition in the country, especially with a view to next year’s elections.

Last month, the special adviser to the presidency and former chancellor Celso Amorim went to Venezuela, sent by Lula, to talk with the Maduro government and also meet with members of the opposition.

“Wherever we are called, let’s talk, like we did in 2016. It wasn’t just Brazil, it was Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador”, said Vieira, recalling that the three countries intermediated the negotiation of the legislative elections that ended up giving victory to the opposition. “Brazil is also ready to return to talks with the government and the opposition.”