HUDUR, Somalia – Ethiopians on Monday launched an ambitious campaign to plant more than 500 million trees in 24 hours, aiming to achieve a greener and cleaner environment in the country and address the adverse effects of climate change.
The campaign was spearheaded by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who participated alongside senior officials from his government, according to Anadolu Agency.
According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), “Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and First Lady Zinash Tayachew launched the Green Legacy 500 million in a day tree programme by planting apple trees together with staff of the PMO.”
The prime minister said that citizens actively participated in the campaign, enabling Ethiopia to successfully fulfill its plan to plant at least 500 million trees across the nation. As a result, an impressive 566 million seedlings were planted in every area of Ethiopia, from early morning until Monday evening.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Birtukan Ayano, also took part in the tree-planting exercise in the ancient city of Harar. She emphasised the significant national importance of the Green Legacy Initiative and reaffirmed Addis Ababa’s commitment to continuously contributing to international efforts in achieving “a greener and cleaner world while addressing the adverse effects of climate change.”
Ethiopia is among the countries worst affected by climate change-related droughts in the Horn of Africa region. A recent report indicated that 24 million people are currently living in drought-affected areas in the country, with an estimated 11 million people facing food insecurity, while approximately 6.85 million livestock deaths have been reported since late 2021.
Despite contributing only about four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, Africa as a whole is increasingly exposed to climate shocks. – Bernama
