BELÉM, BRAZIL — November 17, 2025: Today, during COP30 in Belém, the governments of Brazil and Colombia, together with the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI), officially announced the launch of the Acceleration Plan for Solutions for Afro-descendant Peoples (PAS Afrodescendiente) 2026–2030, the first regional initiative dedicated to accelerating the answers to the historical gaps in territorial recognition, environmental governance, and financing for Afro-descendant Peoples in Latin America and the Caribbean.
As Francia Márquez, Vice President of the Republic of Colombia, stated during COP30:
“The protection of territories is a moral imperative to safeguard those who preserve forests, mangroves, and páramos, often at the cost of their lives. Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities are being killed for defending their territories. Ensuring land security is essential for their protection and survival.”
PAS Afrodescendiente arises in response to a historical debt that affects more than 25 million people that live in Afro-descendant communities in the region, playing a crucial role in biodiversity conservation, climate mitigation, and sustainable community economies. Despite this, they face legal insecurity, violence, financial barriers, and structural exclusion. The new plan articulates its strategy in four areas of work: land regularization, institutional strengthening and regulatory harmonization, community land and environmental management, and financial predictability and sustainability. Each has specific goals aimed at transforming land and governance conditions in the region.
Regional goals of the Afro-descendant PAS (2026–2030)
- 1 million hectares titled or regularized for Afro-descendant Peoples.
- 10 countries incorporated into the Quilombo/Afro-descendant Peoples of the Americas program.
- 10 million hectares under strengthened community environmental management.
- USD 35 million mobilized in public, private, and philanthropic financing.
“The Afro-descendant PAS is a historic step forward, but it will only have meaning if governments and the countries gathered here at COP30 turn commitment into concrete action. Our communities cannot wait more decades for titling, territorial security, and direct investments. We recognize the efforts of Brazil and Colombia in coordinating this initiative, but it is urgent that all countries in the region adopt clear, fundable, and verifiable targets,” said Katia Penha, representative of CONAQ and CITAFRO.“Afro-descendant communities have been doing their part for centuries, protecting territories, forests, and ways of life. Now it is COP that must do its part — ensuring resources, accelerating land regularization, and putting racial justice at the center of climate action. The PAS shows the way; it is up to governments to move forward with courage, speed, and responsibility.”
During the announcement, Brazil, Colombia, and RRI confirmed the initial contributions totaling the first USD $9.5 million toward the USD $35 million target: the Government of Brazil committed USD $5 million, the Government of Colombia contributed USD $3 million, and RRI announced an initial contribution of USD $1.5 million. These commitments demonstrate strong collective political will to advance this regional priority agenda.
“Ensuring land and territory for quilombola communities in Brazil and across Latin America is a fundamental and strategic measure for advancing the climate agenda. For us, it is a great satisfaction to do this in partnership with Colombia and with RRI,” shared Rachel Barros, Executive Secretary of the Ministry of Racial Equality. “This is only the first step. With the resource announcements made here, we hope to open the plan so that other institutions and organizations can join this initiative and contribute to this progress.”
The plan will be coordinated jointly by both governments with technical support from RRI, and in direct coordination with the COP30 Presidency. Its financial architecture will prioritize direct, flexible, and traceable mechanisms, ensuring that Afro-descendant Peoples’ organizations receive the resources necessary to fully exercise their rights and consolidate territorial governance.
The Afro-descendant PAS is open to all Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as multilateral organizations, philanthropies, and financial institutions aligned with climate and territorial justice.
“We make a direct appeal to international donors and allies: if you want to comply with the new COP30 Land Tenure Pledge, if you really want to advance the protection of the territories, forests, and ecosystems where Afro-descendant Peoples live and work, the time to invest is now,” said Dr. Solange Bandiaky-Badji, President and Coordinator of the Rights and Resources Initiative. “The Afro-descendant PAS is a concrete, transparent, and regional vehicle that can transform global commitments into real results. We invite all donors present to join us from the outset, with funding as well as political commitment for this initiative.”