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South American nations meet on sustainable development
30/11/2011
The eight South American nations in the 1978 Amazon Cooperation Treaty (OTCA) have met in Brazil this week to determine a single standpoint on the continent's sustainable development and timber industry policies.
Representatives from Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela gathered in Manaus, northern Brazil, on Tuesday to cement their viewpoints for next June's UN conference on sustainable development in Rio, where they have agreed to speak with one voice.
Brazil's foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, said that the accord between the nations was a long-standing one that had proved beneficial for many years.
"The Brazilian government is committed to revitalising the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (OTCA)," he said as he opened the one-day meeting. "A stronger OTCA is in the interest of member states."
A key item of discussion was the "expediting the process to implement the Amazon Fund", according to one Brazilian diplomat, speaking of the $1 billion mission to improve satellite tracking of forest deforestation and environmental plans in the border regions of South America.
Patriota explained, "Sharing forest data among Amazon countries will facilitate the adoption of coordinated policies to combat deforestation and will ensure that we are better prepared for international discussions on sustainable development."
Representatives from Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela gathered in Manaus, northern Brazil, on Tuesday to cement their viewpoints for next June's UN conference on sustainable development in Rio, where they have agreed to speak with one voice.
Brazil's foreign minister, Antonio Patriota, said that the accord between the nations was a long-standing one that had proved beneficial for many years.
"The Brazilian government is committed to revitalising the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (OTCA)," he said as he opened the one-day meeting. "A stronger OTCA is in the interest of member states."
A key item of discussion was the "expediting the process to implement the Amazon Fund", according to one Brazilian diplomat, speaking of the $1 billion mission to improve satellite tracking of forest deforestation and environmental plans in the border regions of South America.
Patriota explained, "Sharing forest data among Amazon countries will facilitate the adoption of coordinated policies to combat deforestation and will ensure that we are better prepared for international discussions on sustainable development."
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