The territories of Afro-descendant communities in Brazil and Colombia must have a bilateral program to support land protection, biodiversity conservation and implementation of traditional agricultural systems. The bilateral initiative will be presented this week in the Colombian city of Cali, headquarters of COP-16, the United Nations Conference on Biodiversity, which takes place from October 21st to November 1st.
“We took to the biodiversity convention at COP16 a common proposal for Brazil and Colombia, which focuses on the recognition of Afro-descendant peoples in the implementation of the biological diversity convention”, announced Paula Balduíno, director of Policies for Quilombolas and Gypsies at the Ministry of Equality Racial, during the regular session of the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS), last week.
On that occasion, the OAS approved by acclamation a resolution on recognition, justice and sustainable development for quilombola communities on the continent.
The biodiversity COP is the result of a United Nations treaty established during ECO-92, the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (Cnumad), held in Rio de Janeiro, and considered one of the most important international instruments related to biodiversity. environment.
Since then, the goals have been regularly updated among UN countries. For 2023, 23 targets have been defined to halt and reverse biodiversity loss and put nature on a path to recovery for the benefit of the global population, conserving and sustainably using biodiversity and ensuring fair and equitable distribution of the benefits of use of genetic resources.
Named Quilombo das Américas, the program run by the governments of Brazil and Colombia also aims to strengthen the identity, memory and struggle of these communities.
The program aims to create a space for articulation and cooperation between these communities, promoting the recognition of their rights, the preservation of their cultures and social and racial justice, according to the Ministry of Racial Equality.
The launch of the initiative, scheduled to take place this Monday (21), in Cali, should bring together the Minister of Racial Equality, Anielle Franco, and the Colombian Vice President Francia Marquez.
