Amazon Summit- the legacy and matters

One of the main topics in Brazil in recent days has been the Amazon Summit held in Belém. The expectations around the event have also been in the international news. Beyond such expectations about the regional positioning on key aspects related to the largest forest in the world it is worth mentioning the internal effects and outcomes.?

The positive side of the Amazon Summit is that it is not only about geopolitical positioning towards the global agenda. This is a regional alignment never seen before.

People from all over Brazil came to Belém, many of those for the first time. Such an attraction has reminded me when one throws a stone into a lake and it reverberates waves around it. That was exactly what happened.

The Summit was the apex of a movement that brought a wave of other events, which I consider as important as the presidential meeting itself. There was an internal reverberation in the region beyond the expectations of strategic positioning and commitments at the international level.

My point of view for this article is of someone who was born and raised in Belém, who has an international path but currently lives in a traditional community close to the city. A lot could be said but it is not possible to do it in just a text.?

Within a week 8 events occurred in Belém, all due to the Amazon Summit. These events brought together national and local authorities, in addition to a wide range of social movements, leading to exchanges and discussions.? However, a lot of talks with no walks seemed to happen, as many people use to talk about the Amazon, but only few have the know-how.?

One of the legacies left by the Amazon Summit in the state of Pará and in the region was the launch of a series of public policy programs and agreements signed over the last few days. I mapped 6 agreements and policies and I'll highlight only few.? The Infovia 01 is a project of the "Connected North" Program launched in Santarém. Infovia 01 project aims to bring fiber optic internet to 11 municipalities in Pará and Amazonas, benefiting around 3 million people. According to the National Household Sample Survey, the percentage of people who do not access the internet due to the inexistence of available service in the north is 12.2% while in the Southeast it is 3.9%.

Launched in 2011, the Green Grant is back via the Ministry of the Environment, and aims to benefit 30,000 families in areas of extractive reserves and riverside communities. No matter how small the amount is, it is already a contribution.?

Another promising program launched around the Summit was the Pro-Amaz?nia. This is a BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank) and IDB (Inter-American Development Bank) program that aims to provide R$4.5 billion (U$ 1 billion) for micro and small entrepreneurs in the region. This can have a catalytic effect, because in the Amazon, entrepreneurship is not a matter of opportunity or necessity, it is work.?

Reading the Declaration of Belém, it is clear that it is a regional strengthening strategy that left out issues that could place the Pan-Amazon at the forefront of the new global order. ?A question that came to my mind is how the ministers of foreign affairs are going to implement all 15 points and themes with deadlines and targets, as foreseen in point 11 of the declaration.?

It is necessary to take into account that there is a regional treaty, of mandatory nature, behind the Amazon Summit. This has culminated in the organization of this treaty (ACTO), but which still has much to be used as a vehicle for regional connection.?

But even without demonstrating the desired leadership on key matters, the Amazon Summit leaves a legacy, that of interregional exchanges never seen before. After all, we are colonized nations historically oriented towards Europe. The issue now is continuity and commitment to what was presented and discussed.