Within the framework of the Presidential meeting of the XI Colombia-Ecuador Binational Cabinet, the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, confirmed that both countries committed to work and deliver, in the next Cabinet, the binational strategy for the prevention and control of illegal trafficking of wildlife and wood on the border, as well as formalizing the protocol for prosecuting crimes of trafficking and illegal introduction of wild species.
“It was a productive day regarding the environmental issue; A Binational Council against deforestation and environmental crimes was established, which will meet every six months. Joint work will be done for the Amazon and the progress that both countries will also make to strengthen the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (OTCA)”, said the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, Susana Muhamad, at the end of the meeting in Tulcán.
“We propose to take out the prosecution protocol for wildlife trafficking and we will continue working in the binational basin. We committed ourselves to study the proposal, together with the indigenous authorities of Colombia, on a binational plan for a possible Andean-Amazonian biosphere reserve”, he added.
The head of the environmental portfolio highlighted that, in view of the new Tulcán Action Plan that will be implemented throughout 2023, the Ministries agreed, within the framework of Axis IV on Environmental Affairs, eleven commitments that focus on issues such as watersheds cross-border, Escazú Agreement, environmental licensing and citizen participation mechanisms, green businesses, trafficking crimes and illegal introduction of wild species, and innovative mechanisms for financial sustainability for conservation, among others.