President Petro Participates in the Closing of the National Summit of Mayors Leading to COP16

Florencia, Caquetá - On Friday, President Gustavo Petro attended the closing of the National Summit of Mayors, an event that brought together local leaders for three days at the Chamber of Commerce in Florencia. The summit aimed to prepare municipalities for their participation in the Biodiversity Summit COP16, which will take place in Cali. During the event, the mayors presented a manifesto to the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, which will be delivered to Minister Susana Muhamad. This document outlines the primary needs and commitments of communities regarding biodiversity protection and addresses challenges such as deforestation and improper land use that affect the country's flora and fauna. Highlighted points in the manifesto include the search for alternatives to close social gaps in biodiversity-rich regions, the provision of basic services such as drinking water and sanitation, as well as the need for support from the National Government to combat environmental crimes. Furthermore, the document includes commitments from the mayors to collaborate with the Government of Change in updating the goals of Colombia's Biodiversity Action Plan, promoting the conservation of strategically important environmental areas, restoring degraded ecosystems, and fostering productive transformation initiatives. The summit, organized by Asocapitales, concluded with the participation of experts who expressed their concerns about the current state of biodiversity in the country and the urgent need for concrete actions for its conservation.