The 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 30), currently underway in Belém (PA), has strengthened the rapprochement between public bodies, institutions and entities dedicated to the preservation of biomes worldwide. In this context, a representative moment occurred at the Pavilion of the Association of Amazonian Universities (UNAMAZ) and the BioTec-Amazonia Association, this Tuesday (18): the Pro Tempore President of UNAMAZ, José Seixas Lourenço, and the Secretary-General of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), Martin Von Hildebrand, signed a Letter of Intent. The document aims to strengthen cooperation between UNAMAZ and ACTO for the sustainable development of the Amazon.

To achieve this goal, the institutions will promote joint actions in the fields of science, technology, innovation, intercultural education, knowledge management and human resource development.

“This is a very important moment because eight countries are building a partnership for the sustainable development of the Amazon, that is, a partnership between OTCA and UNAMAZ. We have many projects to carry out, and in this dynamic, UNAMAZ's participation is fundamental, as it offers spaces for reflection and analysis. Universities can think and guide us on the most appropriate path,” emphasized Martin Von Hildebrand.

“The signing of this Letter of Intent with OTCA is a milestone in the process of resuming UNAMAZ's actions, initiated in 2023 by decision of the member countries of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty. And it happens symbolically at the first COP held in Brazil, in the Amazon and in Pará. From now on, with this partnership, we will work in various areas of knowledge, seeking new achievements for the development of the Amazonian peoples,” stated Professor José Seixas Lourenço.

The signing of the Letter of Intent was attended in person and virtually by leaders from OTCA, UNAMAZ, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the former Secretary-General of OTCA and former President of Ecuador, Rosalía Arteaga. Also present were: Vanessa Grazziotin, Executive Director of OTCA; Edith Paredes, Administrative Director; Ángel Viloria, Coordinator of Science, Technology and Education; Freddy Mamani, Coordinator of Indigenous Affairs; Nazaré Imbiriba, Executive Secretary of UNAMAZ; Ambassador Carlos Lazary and Mariano Castro, members of the UNAMAZ Advisory Council; Ambassador João Marcelo Galvão de Queiroz, Director for South America at Itamaraty; and Counselor Wagner Alves, representing the Secretary-General of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Maria Laura da Rocha.

Strategic Action
The OTCA is an intergovernmental organization based in Brasília (DF) and composed of eight Amazonian countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. These countries signed the Amazon Cooperation Treaty (ACT), forming the only socio-environmental bloc in Latin America.

UNAMAZ brings together eighty institutions, including universities, research institutes, and institutions from the productive sector of the eight Amazonian countries. In August of this year, during the V Meeting of Presidents of the States Parties to the ACT, held in Bogotá, Colombia, the process of reactivating cooperation mechanisms between UNAMAZ and OTCA was defined.

As the focus of the ACT is to promote harmonious development among the Amazonian countries, with an emphasis on environmental preservation and the rational use of natural resources, the signing of the Letter of Intent at COP 30 takes on special significance, as highlighted by Professor José Seixas Lourenço.

The areas of cooperation foreseen in the Charter involve academic and scientific exchanges and integration, promoting synergies between research, teaching, and outreach programs, aligned with the institutions' agendas. They also include capacity building, with special attention to young researchers, indigenous peoples, Afro-descendant populations, and local communities, as well as the promotion of intercultural education and the appreciation of traditional knowledge.

Also within the scope of the partnership are the management, exchange, and dissemination of scientific and technological information and knowledge, as well as the identification and promotion of joint initiatives and projects in areas of common interest defined in the OTCA Agenda and the UNAMAZ Strategic Plan, covering topics such as climate change, biodiversity, water, forest resources, public health, and innovation for sustainable development.