Brazil Announces South American Meeting on Amazon Fires

• 08.29.2019, 13:45
•  America,  World

Ricardo Moraes/Reuters

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday that South American countries would meet to determine a common policy in defence of the Amazon rainforest, and took another swipe at France for a G7 offer of $20m in aid, al-Jazeera reports.

In an indication that Bolsonaro, a far-right conservative, is forging closer ties with neighbouring countries than European nations, he also accepted Chile's offer of four aircraft to help fight the fires sweeping through the world's largest rainforest.

Speaking to journalists after a meeting with Chilean President Sebastian Pinera in Brasilia, Bolsonaro said a meeting with regional neighbours except Venezuela to discuss a common policy in defence of the Amazon will be held on September 6 in the Colombian city of Leticia.

In a statement, the two leaders said environmental challenges must be met while respecting "national sovereignty", and that each country should have control over the "rational and sustainable use of their natural resources, in line with their environmental obligations and needs of their citizens, including indigenous peoples."