Guyana reaffirms commitment to cooperation agenda of ACTO

Prime Minister Brigadier (ret’d) Mark Phillips has expressed the Government of Guyana’s satisfaction with the progress made in advancing the cooperation agenda for the sustainable development of the Amazon region.
On Thursday, during the XIV Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) in Brazil, the Guyanese Prime Minister related that the renewed commitment to “reinvigorate, redesign and strengthen the partnership among the ACTO Member States”, as demonstrated by leaders at the Amazon Summit held in Belem in August 2023, is welcome.
He said, “Guyana supports the various mechanisms being put in place to facilitate the implementation of the Belem Declaration, noting the critical importance of standing forest, climate change, food and nutrition security, and sovereignty to the region”.
The Declaration addresses topics such as institutional strengthening of ACTO; Amazon cities; Amazon Parliament; Science, education and innovation: knowledge and entrepreneurship in the Amazon; Monitoring and cooperation in water resources management; Climate change; Protection of forests, Amazon coastal zones, vulnerable ecosystems and biodiversity; Police, judicial and intelligence cooperation in combatting illicit activities, including environmental crimes; Sustainable infrastructure; Economy for sustainable development; Health; Food and nutritional security and sovereignty, as well as social protection.
However, the work undertaken to implement the declaration by the Permanent Secretariat of ACTO, the Intergovernmental Working Groups, and technical experts was also lauded, while the Prime Minister has reaffirmed Guyana’s commitment to the cooperation agenda of the organisation.
“Guyana reiterates its commitment to the cooperation agenda of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation, as it continues to provide a space for sustained joint collaboration to address shared interests and concerns on issues impacting the Amazon region,” he said.
ACTO is a unique intergovernmental organization formed in 1995 by eight Amazonian countries — Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. They signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT) which established the only socio-environmental bloc in Latin America.
ACTO works across political, strategic, and technical areas within the ACT framework to foster cooperation among governments, organisations, civil society, social movements, scientists, businesses, and more in order to reinforce and implement the ACT’s objectives.