Gov’t says Ethiopia ready to welcome the world, share success stories at upcoming UNFSS+4

Addis Ababa, July 26, 2025 (FMC) — On the eve of the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake (UNFSS+4), Ethiopia’s Government Communication Service (GCS) has reaffirmed the country’s readiness to welcome international guests and share its multifaceted achievements in agriculture, climate action, and food systems transformation.

In a statement released this afternoon via official channels, GCS underscored that Ethiopia is not only fully prepared to co-host the upcoming summit but is also eager to present concrete results from its national journey toward food sovereignty, climate resilience, and inclusive development.

The summit, scheduled to run from July 27–29 in Addis Ababa, is being held in partnership with the Government of Italy and United Nations agencies including FAO, WFP, and the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub.

“We are ready to host the UNFSS+4 while continuing our pursuit of food sovereignty,” the statement read, emphasizing Ethiopia’s strategic achievements such as irrigated wheat production, the YeLemat Trufat (Bounty of the Basket) nutrition-sensitive agriculture program, and the flagship Green Legacy initiative launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019.

Over 40 billion tree seedlings have been planted nationwide under the Green Legacy to date, GCS noted — a national effort that has drawn global attention as a model for climate action. This year alone, the country aims to plant 7.5 billion additional seedlings during the current rainy season, aligning with the timing of the summit.

GCS stated that the opportunity to host the UNFSS+4 reflects international recognition of Ethiopia’s growing leadership in agricultural innovation, climate adaptation, and global cooperation. “The summit will serve as a platform to showcase the outcomes of Ethiopia’s decade-long reform agenda and our contributions to the global food security architecture,” the statement said.

The Addis Ababa summit will bring together heads of state, ministers, researchers, civil society, private sector actors, and food producers from across the world to take stock of progress made since the inaugural Food Systems Summit in 2021. Delegates will evaluate past commitments, outline new strategies to achieve zero hunger, and tackle the compounding effects of climate change on food systems.

The GCS highlighted that Addis Ababa — significantly transformed with modern infrastructure in recent years — is well-positioned to welcome the global community. Ethiopia, it said, has drawn upon its extensive experience in hosting international events and advancing both bilateral and multilateral diplomacy.

“As the nation embarks on a renewed path of development, Ethiopia is ready to receive the world — not only as a host, but as a country with stories of resilience, innovation, and transformation to share,” GCS concluded.