GUYANA has reminded the world of its unwavering commitment to the protection of the Amazon Rainforest and its resources, including its indigenous populations and their endangered knowledge.

Prime Minister, Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips on Tuesday called on states within the Amazon region to pursue a robust agenda to find viable solutions to combat the challenges affecting the world’s lungs.
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He told fellow leaders attending the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) summit in Belem that if the current situation continues unabated, there would be no relief in near sight.

ACTO members are Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela).
PM Phillips told fellow leaders gathered in the Brazilian Amazonian state, it’s in the interest of future generations that a concerted effort be made to arrest the situation today.

Underscoring the importance of the Amazon’s valuable role in the climate flight, he said illegal forest activities, deforestation and forest fires together threaten the delicate region’s equilibrium and the livelihoods of indigenous and other communities, and called on fellow governments to bear responsibility for safeguarding the region for the benefit of current and future generations.

He reiterated Guyana’s dedication to preserving and conserving the environment and — in keeping with its commitment to sustainable development — pledged that Guyana as an emerging oil state will continue to diversify its energy portfolio to include renewables.

The leaders also heard Guyana’s renewed and continuing dedication to preserving and conserving the environment and it’s committment to fight climate change.
PM Phillips called on them to be resolute in combatting existing and growing threats and to ensure their initiatives, under ACTO, have a strong focus on the sustainable management of forests, forest preservation and forest conservation.

Echoing the calls by the Caribbean Organization of Indigenous Peoples (COIP) – to which Guyana also belongs – the PM iterated that indigenous people have shared a sacred relationship with the land and the forest, and he charged leaders to include them and their voices in the development process, saying it’s imperative that they continue to play an integral part in ACTO’s sustainable development mechanisms.

Indigenous communities have continued to play valuable roles in the protection and preservation of the Amazon region for generations, during which they’ve depended on the forest and its rivers for food, shelter, medicines and livelihoods, while their traditional knowledge continues to be of great value to Guyana and the region to this day.

The Prime Minister urged the summit – the second of its type in 14 years – to respond to the current Amazon crisis as it did in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
He also urged development of strategic partnerships to ensure the commitments made in Belem are realized for mutual benefit, and to adopt strategies that can catalyse climate finance, information exchange, expertise-sharing and collective problem-solving and promote regional unity in addressing climate mitigation and adaptation goals.

The PM urged his Amazon colleagues to collectively pave the way for a more resilient and prosperous future, ensuring the preservation of their shared ecological heritage, seizing this historic opportunity to demonstrate their determination and resolve in tackling the environmental challenges and forging a sustainable, equitable future for all.
Trillions are needed to reverse damage done and nations will not all agree on every recommendation from the Belem Summit.

But, starting on the eve of the International Day for Indigenous Peoples (August 9), the ACTO Summit underlined the great importance of inclusion of the protected region’s indigenous people in the continuing search for workable solutions; and surely laid the basis for undertaking agreed new and added restorative and preventative measures necessary to start preserving Amazonia.