The Presidents of Brazil and Colombia discussed regional coordination to combat deforestation and protect the largest and most biodiverse rainforest in the world during a meeting held in the Amazon city of Leticia, Colombia, on Saturday. Brazilian President "Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva," who called for better regional and global coordination, stated, "My government is committed to eliminating illegal deforestation by 2030."
The meeting between "Lula da Silva" and Colombian President "Gustavo Petro" followed discussions in Leticia last week among environment ministers from Amazon countries, including Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and others. Both "Petro" and "Lula," who have each been in office for less than a year, urged wealthy nations to provide funding to help South American countries preserve the Amazon rainforest, which is essential for combating global climate change.
The meetings in Leticia precede the Amazon Summit, which will be hosted by Brazil in the city of Belém at the mouth of the Amazon River in August.
