The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), a collaborative effort by Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela to promote sustainable development, has been acknowledged at the tenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF10).
18 April 2013: The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), a collaborative effort by Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela to promote sustainable development, has been acknowledged at the tenth session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF10).
ACTO was established in 1995 in order to address the sustainable use of forests and water resources, the monitoring and management of endangered wild fauna and flora species, the promotion of indigenous affairs, and tourism. The area covered by the treaty amounts to about 40 per cent of South America’s land area and includes 25 per cent of the world’s freshwater.
At UNFF10, ACTO was recognized as a best practice in terms of both regional collaboration and South-South cooperation. Its accomplishments with regard to monitoring forest cover, promoting community forestry, enhancing forest preservation, awareness raising and combating illegal logging could, according to UNFF10 discussions, serve as an example to be replicated in other forest basins.
Looking forward, ACTO is entering into a partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) in order to enhance sustainable production, address food insecurity and poverty and enhance resilience. [UN Press Release] [IISD RS coverage of UNFF10]