22 November 2024

Welsh Government Welcomes Indigenous Leaders from Peruvian Amazon

Deputy First Minister, Huw Irranca-Davies met with Teófilo Kukush Pati, President of the Wampís Nation – an Indigenous nation from the Peruvian Amazon – on his visit to Wales. The President was accompanied by Tsanim Wajai Asamat, a young Wampís leader, as part of a visit facilitated by the Welsh charity, Size of Wales.

The Welsh Government announced a further £50,000 for the Wampís Nation following the meeting, to continue supporting the development of solar-powered boats.

During their time in Wales, these Indigenous leaders met with the Welsh Government, Members of the Senedd, and young people from across the country. Their discussions will focus on the Wampís’ vital work to protect the Amazon rainforest and explore how nations like Wales can support Indigenous-led climate initiatives.

As the climate crisis accelerates, the visit highlights how smaller nations, like Wales, can contribute to meaningful global action. Their visit also coincides with the United Nations COP29 Summit in Azerbaijan, adding further urgency to their message.

The Wampís leaders recommend that the Welsh Government encourage Welsh public sector pension funds to develop policies ensuring investments are fossil fuel and deforestation free. They are also calling on the UK Government to introduce a Business, Human Rights, and Environment Act (BHREA) to safeguard human rights and the environment, ensuring companies and public sectors prevent, address, and remedy harms within domestic and global supply chains.

The Wampís Nation covers 1.3 million hectares, more than half the size of Wales, yet more than two-thirds of the Wampís’ territory isn’t legally protected by the Peruvian State. This leaves much of their ancestral territory exposed to illegal logging, gold mining and oil exploration.

“This is a powerful moment for Wales, welcoming Indigenous leaders who have travelled from the heart of the Amazon to share their knowledge and experience in environmental stewardship,” said Barbara Davies-Quy, Deputy Director of Size of Wales.

“Their courage and dedication in protecting their territory are inspirational, and their experiences are a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when we stand together across nations.”

In 2021, Size of Wales and the Wampís Nation attended COP26 at Glasgow, where they met with the former Minister for Climate Change, Julie James and again at Biodiversity COP in Montreal in 2022. Through these discussions, the Welsh Government, via Size of Wales, has provided funding to support the Wampís’ goal of transitioning to 100% renewable energy. This funding has enabled the construction of a solar-powered boat – the first of its kind in Peru – supporting them to monitor their territory for illegal activities and access essential services like healthcare and education.

In response to the announcement of the additional £50,000, Pamuk Teófilo Kukush Pati said,

“We are very grateful, your financial support will help us fund more smaller boats which will help transport patients from the community to health posts so they can receive treatment.”

The Wampís meeting the Deputy First Minister

Huw Irranca-Davies, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, said

“It’s been a pleasure to welcome Teófilo Kukush Pati and Tsanim Wajai Asamat to Wales. We know Indigenous people across the world are being disproportionately hit by the impacts of climate change but hearing this in person is extremely powerful and only adds to our commitment in Wales to support the work of Indigenous People.

If we are serious about tackling the climate crisis we have to work across international boundaries. Indigenous People are already adapting to the effects of a changing climate, and we can all learn from the way they care for and value their natural resources. We cannot take that for granted and must show our support and work together to reach our joint goals of a more sustainable and fairer world.”

Senedd Committee members meeting with the Wampís

The Wampís also met with the Senedd’s Committees responsible for climate change and international relations and inaugurated two youth climate change conferences, YouthCOP Cymru, in Cardiff and Wrecsam. These events allowed young people across Wales to share their own climate action ideas directly with policymakers.

Julie James, Counsel General and Minister for Delivery, added

“I have been lucky enough to meet with members of the Wampís Nation at previous COPs and am delighted they have made the journey here to Wales. Each time I have been moved by their story, their spirit and their unwavering commitment in guarding their territory.

What we do now to tackle the causes of climate change will define what happens next. The work the Wampís and other Indigenous People are doing is critical and we must urgently recognise their role. I am proud that Welsh Government is contributing to the work the Wampís are doing, and we will continue to build on this relationship going forward.”