Ethiopia, Kenya to cooperate on Green Legacy Initiative

August 19, 2023 (FBC – The Minister of Planning and Development of Ethiopia, Fitsum Asefa, held a bilateral meeting with the Kenyan Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, Soipan Tuya, on the sidelines of the 19th Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) in Addis Ababa.

During the meeting, the two ministers discussed the Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative (EGLI), a massive seedlings campaign that has seen Ethiopia plant over 25 billion seedlings in the past four years.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Development of Ethiopia, Kenya has expressed interest in replicating the EGLI, and the two ministers agreed to work together to support Kenya’s efforts to plant 15 billion seedlings in future.

Fitsum Asefa said that Ethiopia is committed to sharing its experience with other countries and to working together to address the climate crisis. She also highlighted the importance of green diplomacy, which she said can be a powerful tool for promoting peace and cooperation.

For her Part, Soipan Tuya thanked Ethiopia for its support and said that Kenya is committed to learning from the EGLI experience.

She said that her country is facing a number of environmental challenges, including deforestation, soil erosion, and climate change, and that the EGLI can provide a model for addressing these challenges.

Tuya also invited Ethiopia to participate in the African climate summit hosted by Kenya Nairobi, from September 4 to 6.

The two ministers also discussed other issues of mutual interest, including climate finance, sustainable development, and environmental protection.

It is noted that they agreed to continue working together to address these challenges and to build a more sustainable future for Africa.