Green Legacy Initiative considerably contributing to Ethiopia’s forest cover: MoPD Minister

Addis Ababa, August 12, 2024 (FBC) – The Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) has been significantly contributing to the increment of national forest cover, Planning and Development Minister Fitsum Assefa disclosed.

Last June 2024, Ethiopia’s Forest Cover report was launched, which indicates that by 2023, its forest cover had increased to 23.6 percent from 17.2 percent in 2019.

Speaking on high-level panel discussion on green legacy initiative, Fitsum said the initiative has brought about positive impacts in terms of forest cover and environmental rehabilitation efforts.

The benefits of the green legacy initiative is multifaceted and transcends to neighboring countries and the world at large, she elaborated.

The Minister further underscored that the government’s determination and commitment is firm in building a climate resilient economy.

Ethiopia has been encouraging African countries to join its tree planting campaign through providing tree seedlings, the Minister recalled, urging the international community to support Ethiopia’s tangible effort.

Recall that Ethiopia has diligently pursued an annual planting program under the Green Legacy Initiative, initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed during the past five years.

Pursuant to the country’s ambitious plan of planting 50 billion trees, Ethiopia is anticipated   to plant 7.5 billion trees this year, it was indicated.

Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) Country Representative, Okechukwu Daniel Ogbonnaya said on his part that the green legacy initiative is laudable and a great motivator to climate action and an outcome was shared with other countries.

He emphasized the need for neighboring countries to emulate what Ethiopia has kicked off when it comes to the green development endeavors through the green legacy initiative.

The Country Representative appreciated Ethiopia’s continuous effort to restore, conserve, enhance forest and create sustainable landscape management overall.

According to him, the endeavor would improve the forest goods and services that have crucial social, economic, and environmental values for the development of Ethiopia.

“The green legacy initiative achievement needs to be one that should not only be a one off, but there needs to be a documentation of the lessons and codification. I should also serve as a lesson for sharing the same to all the different partners both in the country, but also in the region and globally,” Daniel commended.

A high-level panel discussion on green legacy and its outcome on climate change is undertaking in Addis Ababa today.

High officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Ethiopian Forestry Development, Space Science and Geospatial Institute, and development partners are partaking in the high-level panel Discussion.