Addis Ababa, June 28, 2025 (FMC) — Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on African nations to emulate Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, praising it as an inclusive, impactful, and visionary model for addressing climate change and advancing sustainable development.
He made the remarks after participating in a tree-planting program earlier today at the Gulele Riverside Project in Addis Ababa, together with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD), senior Ethiopian officials, members of the diplomatic community, and citizens from all walks of life.
“There is an incestuous relationship between economy and ecology in Africa—and these efforts by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his team to make Ethiopia green are worthy of emulation by all other African nations,” the Vice President said.
Describing the initiative as a “win-win” solution, Shettima noted that it goes beyond environmental restoration by creating jobs, reclaiming degraded lands, and improving agricultural productivity.
He emphasized the active involvement of women and youth, highlighting the program’s inclusive nature and long-term economic potential.
“I’ve seen women and children creating job opportunities. It’s about inclusion,” he said. “A lot of youth are getting engaged in this activity. A lot of women are engaged. This is a real impact project that will reclaim lands and turn lives around.”
The Vice President added that previously dry areas are beginning to receive more rainfall due to increased vegetation cover, and that the planting of economically beneficial trees will enhance community livelihoods in the coming years.
“It’s about sustainability and economic viability,” he noted. “The trees in the next couple of years will start yielding fruits. It will mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance the livelihoods of our people.”
Praising Ethiopia’s ambition to plant over 40 billion trees through the Green Legacy Initiative, Shettima described the program as a “game-changer” and expressed confidence in its power to inspire a new era of climate action across the continent.
“I hope and pray that other nations in Africa will wake up from their slumber and aggressively pursue this tragedy that is staring us in the face,” he said. “Green Legacy has given me hope for a better tomorrow—for a better, greater Africa.”