PM Abiy, Heads of State Plant Trees to Launch UN Food Summit in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, July 29, 2025 (FMC) — Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, alongside several Heads of State and Government, marked the opening of the Second United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS+4) this morning in Addis Ababa with a symbolic tree planting ceremony under Ethiopia’s flagship Green Legacy initiative.

The act of planting seedlings not only celebrated the beginning of the high-level summit, co-hosted by Ethiopia and Italy, but also reinforced the critical link between reforestation, climate resilience, and sustainable food systems.

In a message shared after the event, PM Abiy noted, “This symbolic act underscores the vital role of reforestation and environmental stewardship in building resilient and sustainable food systems.”

The Green Legacy initiative, launched in 2019, has mobilized millions of Ethiopians in efforts to combat land degradation and climate change through massive tree planting. Incorporating the initiative into the summit highlights Ethiopia’s commitment to integrating climate action into its national and global food security agenda.

The UNFSS+4 brings together world leaders, ministers, and food systems stakeholders to assess progress since the inaugural 2021 summit and accelerate transformation toward sustainable, equitable, and climate-smart food systems. The gathering underscores the urgency of global cooperation in confronting rising food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate shocks.