Amazonia: Indigenous Peoples

(asked on 13th January 2022) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to help (a) protect the survival of indigenous peoples in the Amazon Basin and (b) address risks arising from (i) commercial exploitation of and (ii) violent incursions into their territories.


Answered by
Vicky Ford Portrait
Vicky Ford
This question was answered on 18th January 2022

British diplomats regularly engage with indigenous leaders and civil society organisations in Brazil. We are funding a three-year initiative, the Regional Action to Reduce Environmental Crime in the Amazon which aims to prevent and reduce environmental crime across the Amazon region, including in Brazil. The British Embassy in Brazil is committed to engaging widely with the Brazilian Government, civil society organisations, and other representatives to discuss issues related to indigenous rights and will continue to monitor the situation.

During the C-19 pandemic, we also supported Indigenous Communities though our International Programme Fund. This included a £10,000 project focused on maximising fundraising efforts to provide emergency assistance to a range of indigenous communities based in the Amazon basin. The project raised over £500,000 for indigenous communities in the form of health assistance and community support including food, hygiene products and information campaigns.

UK programmes designed to help speed the recovery from the pandemic include a focus on vulnerable groups, including in the Amazon region and support improvements in areas such as solar energy, primary health and skills development. We have also supported local and indigenous people in the Amazon through our International Climate Finance programmes, with nearly £120 million invested across the Amazon since 2012.

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