Sao Paulo: The Brazilian and the French heads of state have unveiled a scheme to allocate 1 billion euros (USD 1.1 billion) in the Amazon, encompassing segments of the rainforest in nearby French Guiana.
The joint announcement by the governments of both nations delineated a four-year dispersal plan for safeguarding the rainforest. This initiative will be a fusion of publicly-operated Brazilian financial institutions and France’s investment bureau. The inclusion of private resources is also encouraged, as expressed by Brazil and France.
President Emmanuel Macron of France and his Brazilian counterpart Luiz Incio Lula da Silva are currently in discussions to rekindle bilateral ties after a period of strain under the previous administration of Jair Bolsonaro. The overarching objectives of the meeting are to fortify collaborative efforts aimed at preserving the rainforest and to enhance trade relations.
Macron commenced his tripartite visit to Brazil in the Amazonian city of Belem, where he convened with his longstanding ally, Lula. Subsequently, the French leader embarked on a voyage to Combu island via boat to engage with Indigenous leaders. Both Macron and Lula were met with a demonstration by Greenpeace Brazil bearing banners advocating against oil exploration in the Amazon. The Brazilian government has contemplated permitting oil extraction in a vicinity proximate to Para state, home to Belem.
During a public address, Lula underscored Macron’s visit as a pivotal component of a global endeavor to bolster rainforest preservation efforts. “We aim to persuade those who have already undertaken deforestation activities to make substantial contributions to the nations still possessing their forest cover, thereby ensuring their preservation,” Lula asserted alongside the French president.
Macron’s office had previously indicated that discussions surrounding a prospective European trade pact with the South American Mercosur bloc would not be entertained. The French leader has voiced opposition to such an accord until South American producers demonstrate adherence to equivalent environmental and health standards as their European counterparts, a concern highlighted by agricultural stakeholders during widespread protests across France and Europe.
In recognition of his contributions to rainforest conservation, Macron bestowed the prestigious Legion of Honor medal upon Indigenous leader Raoni Metuktire. “You were in Europe, and I pledged to journey to your forest and stand alongside your people in this cherished woodland,” Macron conveyed to the Indigenous leader, as reported by French radio RFI. “President Lula and I share a common cause for one of our allies in this territory that is rightfully yours.”
Macron and Lula are poised to forge a unified strategy to combat both climate change and socioeconomic disparities, as delineated by Macron’s office, with Brazil slated to host the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro in November and UN climate negotiations in Belem next year.
In the coming days, Macron and Lula are scheduled to unveil a diesel-powered submarine, constructed in Brazil with French technological expertise, at the Itaguai shipyard on the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. Subsequently, the French president will journey to the bustling metropolis of Sao Paulo to engage with Brazilian investors. On Thursday, Macron is slated to reconvene with Lula in Brasilia.