Amazonian Indigenous Peoples of Peru and Ecuador exchange experiences on governance, climate action and finance

Lima, March 2025.– To strengthen the informed and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in climate governance and financing, the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Amazon (AIDESEP) and the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (CONFENIAE) are organising the International Exchange of Experiences: Progress, Lessons and Challenges of Amazonian Indigenous Peoples in Governance, Climate Action and Finance.

The event will take place in Lima, Peru, from 31 March to 3 April 2025, bringing together Indigenous leaders from Peru and Ecuador, as well as representatives from the public and private sectors, civil society, and international cooperation organizations. A delegation from Bolivia, confirmed by environmental authorities and a representative of the Tacana people, will also participate.

An Exchange With a Regional Approach

In 2024, the School of Indigenous Governance and Amazonian Development (EGIDA) of AIDESEP trained over 80 Indigenous leaders from Peru and Ecuador through two specialised courses on climate action and finance. This event will provide an opportunity to reflect on the advances of the past 15 years of Indigenous climate governance—its challenges, innovations and lessons learned—while identifying experiences that may be replicated across these three Andean-Amazonian countries.

Peru, recognised for its leadership and progress in Indigenous participation in climate action, will host this international exchange.

Learning and Action for The Amazon

This learning event will unfold in two main segments. The first will be a Public Event in Lima on 31 March and 1 April, where AIDESEP will present a documentary summary of its 15-year journey, as well as emblematic initiatives in Peru, including the Kowen Antami Initiative, the Tajimat Pujut Project,and theIndigenous Jurisdictional REDD+ Programme (RIA) in areas of low deforestation and high forest cover—the first of its kind worldwide. Over these two days, Indigenous leaders from Peru and Ecuador will participate, alongside representatives from public and private sectors, civil society, and international cooperation organisations. The Bolivian delegation will also participate.

The second segment will be anExchange among Indigenous Leaders, taking place from the afternoon of 1 April to 3 April. This will focus on collective reflection around progress, challenges, and learnings, and how such experiences can guide processes in each country. Participants will include Indigenous leaders from the Peruvian Amazon, as well as Indigenous authorities and representatives from Ecuador and Bolivia interested in learning from the experiences of Peru and Ecuador.

Indigenous Peoples: Key Actors in Addressing the Climate Crisis

Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia collectively hold over 128 million hectares of the world’s most biodiverse forests, which are critical to global climate stability and the livelihoods of local populations. In this context, the effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in climate-related policies, governance, and financing mechanisms is essential for the conservation of the Amazon and the protection of Indigenous rights.

AIDESEP President, Apu Jorge Pérez, highlighted the importance of this learning space and collaboration with CONFENIAE from Ecuador:« For us it is fundamental to contribute to capacity building among sister peoples. We are proud to have achieved EGIDA’s international reach and to train more indigenous leaders as specialists to strengthen the technical management and protection of the rights of indigenous peoples.»

Meanwhile, Magaly Mashinkiash, an Indigenous leader and technical advisor from CONFENIAE, emphasised the need to strengthen training initiatives: «It is vital for Indigenous communities to lead the fight against climate change and the conservation of the Amazon. We must build our capacities, access greater resources, and adapt existing experience and innovation to our own realities and challenges.»

Leading Organisations

AIDESEP and CONFENIAE are spearheading this intercultural and international learning initiative, with technical support from Practical Action within the framework of the BLF Andes Amazon Project of the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund funded by the UK Internacional Development.