Governor Waldez Góes, Govenor of Amapá and President of the Interstate Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Legal Amazon, issued a note on Sunday declaring that the Governors of the Amazon will “dialogue directly with the donor countries of the Amazon Fund [Norway and Germany].”
Governor Góes’s statement comes in response to the crisis created by Presient Jair Bolsonaro, who urged Norway and Germany to “keep their money. Brazil does not need this money.” President Bolsonaro’s remark was directed in response to Norway and Germany’s criticism of the increase in deforestation in the Amazon under Bolsonaro’s administration.
The Amazon Fund was created in 2008 to finance forest monitoring and promote sustainable forest economy activities. Today, the Fund contains approximately R $3 Billion.
While funding from Germany did not subside, Norway failed to pass R $139 Million.
Governor Góes’s note reverberated throughout the national and international press in Brazil. Governor Góes states, “The Amazon bloc regrets that the positions of the Brazilian government caused the suspension of resources. We, the Governors of the Legal Amazon, are unconditional defenders of the Amazon Fund.”
Moreover, the note declares, “We have already officially informed the President of the Republic, and the Embassies of Norway, Germany and France, through an audience and during the Palmas Forum, that the Interstate Development Partnership of the Legal Amazon will be in direct dialogue with the Fund’s funding countries.”
Governor Góes goes on to affirm, “In the Consortium Strategic Planning we have a full commitment to Sustainable Development. We are radically against any illegal economic activity in the region. As part of our actions, we are firm and vigilant in fighting and punishing those who want to act outside the law. Therefore, we are demanding from the Federal Government the combat and the punishment of illegal activities.”
The note also includes the desire for the rulers of the Amazon bloc to participate directly in reform decisions surrounding the terms of the Amazon Fund, which are currently decides by BNDES. The bloc wans the Banco de Amazônia to manage the Amazon Fund, since the Bank has representation in all units of the bloc.
Governor Góes’s note concludes by stating, “The Federal Government has positively signaled an agenda with the Governors of the member states of the Interstate Consortium for Sustainable Development of the Legal Amazon to address the Amazon Fund and other issues related to environmental policy [in Brazil].”
This post was adapted from Seles Nafes. See original article in Portuguese: “Para salver Fundo Amazônia, Waldez anuncia que govern adores vão dialogar com países.”