Diplomats Applaud #Ethiopia’s Green Legacy 🌱 as Powerful Response to Climate Crisis

Addis Ababa, July 11, 2026 (FMC) — Ambassadors and diplomatic representatives from various countries have praised Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative as a significant response to the global climate crisis, describing it as an exemplary model for environmental restoration and sustainable development.

The diplomats highlighted the initiative’s contribution to climate action, ecosystem restoration, and the creation of sustainable communities, noting that Ethiopia’s large-scale environmental efforts offer valuable lessons for countries seeking practical solutions to climate challenges.

Launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in 2019, the Green Legacy Initiative has become a nationwide environmental restoration campaign aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, expanding forest coverage, improving environmental sustainability, and strengthening climate resilience.

Now in its eighth year, the initiative has registered significant achievements through annual tree-planting campaigns, with stakeholders emphasizing that its impact extends beyond environmental protection to supporting agricultural productivity, ecosystem recovery, and healthier communities.

Ethiopia has planted more than 48 billion tree seedlings in recent years, and the 2026 Green Legacy campaign, launched under the theme “Let Us Plant Our Hope,” targets planting an additional 8 billion seedlings during the current rainy season.

Israeli Ambassador to Ethiopia Avraham Neguise said Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative and its extensive tree-planting efforts are highly significant, particularly as climate change continues to affect countries across the world.

He noted that Ethiopia is demonstrating leadership in advancing climate action from Africa, emphasizing that addressing environmental challenges requires collective global efforts.

“Climate change is a global phenomenon affecting the entire world, and Ethiopia is taking a leading role, particularly from the African continent,” he said.

Pakistan’s Trade and Investment Representative in Ethiopia, Basit Saleem Shah, also praised the initiative’s contribution to creating a cleaner environment, improving Ethiopia’s natural beauty, and supporting sustainable development.

He said the Green Legacy Initiative has helped promote a pollution-free environment, expand urban greenery, and enhance Ethiopia’s attractiveness for visitors, investors, and businesses.

“The Green Legacy has added a beautiful charm to Ethiopia by developing a green environment and promoting a pollution-free atmosphere,” he said, commending the efforts of the Ethiopian people and government for achieving remarkable progress within a short period.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Ethiopia, Nirmala Paranavitana, described Ethiopia’s green development approach as a visionary initiative that demonstrates how environmental sustainability can advance alongside economic growth.

She said Sri Lanka is interested in exploring cooperation with Ethiopia in green development, recognizing the importance of linking environmental initiatives with trade and economic expansion.

“Green Legacy works in parallel with trade and economic expansion in a country. It is very important that Ethiopia adopted this initiative, and Sri Lanka would be willing to join hands in this sector,” she said.

The ambassador further emphasized that Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative contributes to global climate strategies and supports international efforts to achieve climate action goals, as reported by local news agency ENA.

The initiative, launched to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, and promote sustainable development, has grown into one of the world’s largest national tree-planting and environmental restoration programs, attracting increasing international recognition for its scale and ambition.