Pará and French Guiana advance in proposal for a new territorial cooperation agreement for the sustainable development of the Amazon
Partnership foresees joint actions for COP 30 and long-term initiatives in the areas of bioeconomy, science, and regional integration
The Government of Pará and the Territorial Collectivity of French Guiana (CTG) advanced on Monday (11) in negotiations for a new cooperation agreement aimed at the sustainable development of the Amazon. The meeting took place at the headquarters of the Amazon Foundation for Support of Studies and Research (Fapespa) in Belém and was attended by the president of Fapespa, representing Governor Helder Barbalho, and the first vice-president of CTG, Jean Paul Ferreira, accompanied by technical teams.
The proposed agreement expands existing collaboration fronts, covering areas such as the environment, scientific research, border security, trade, culture, and education, in addition to reinforcing mutual support in organizing the 30th United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP 30), which will be held in Belém in November.
The new agreement is expected to include permanent actions and partnerships post-event, focusing on strengthening bioeconomy, science, technology and innovation, and port infrastructure. “Dr. Jean Paul presented a new proposal for a cooperation agreement between the State of Pará and French Guiana. It is time to strengthen our collaboration in strategic areas such as port infrastructure, culture, science, technology, and innovation, especially in support of bioeconomy,” evaluated the president of Fapespa, Marcel Botelho.
The meeting is expected to allow for further advancements and expand initiatives such as the Interreg program, which Pará has been part of since August 2024. The Interreg Amazon Cooperation Program (PCIA), managed by CTG and funded by the European Union, promotes sustainable development and integration of the countries and states in the Guiana Plateau region. The adhesion term was signed in Cayenne by the president of CTG, Gabriel Serville, in the presence of the director-president of Fapespa.
“Now, we will begin drafting a new agreement that reflects a broader and more strategic relationship. As a regional leader, Pará has the opportunity to support other states and countries in this extraordinary region on the path to sustainable development,” reinforced Marcel Botelho.
Jean Paul Ferreira highlighted that the meeting resulted in the beginning of a new phase of cooperation. “We discussed, among other things, a future cooperation agreement between Pará and French Guiana, especially on issues that are of great interest to us, such as bioeconomy,” he emphasized.
