Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Tuesday announced the launch of a campaign to plant 6 billion trees across the country during the coming rainy season, which typically lasts until October, reported Africa News. The campaign forms part of his ‘’Green Legacy’’ project that aims to promote eco-tourism and combat the effects of climate change.
Abiy announced the launch of the campaign in a meeting hall filled with freshly watered seedlings. He said the greenery project which has been launched on Tuesday will continue until September and October.
It is the third consecutive year that the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize winner Ethiopian prime minister has urged the people of his country to overcome ethnic, regional, and religious differences and unite to plant billions of trees.
“This year’s planting takes place under the theme ‘Let’s Adorn Ethiopia.’ Following the planting of 5 billion seedlings last year, Ethiopia will plant 6 billion seedlings in this round,” read a statement released by the prime minister’s office.
The Ethiopian government is even planning to send one billion seedlings to its neighboring countries to promote a green Africa.
“An additional 1 billion seedlings will be sent to neighboring countries to start a regional effort towards a green Africa,” the statement read.
According to the statement, the discussions held during the launch ceremony focused on restoring Ethiopia’s green cover, eliminating erosion and pollution, reducing conflicts arising due to environmental degradation and reduction of natural resources, and measures to support the country’s agricultural sector and economy.
“Prime Minister Abiy called on all Ethiopians to come in unison in covering the nation green, seeing each other beyond lines of division,” it added.
Omar Husen, Ethiopia’s Minister for Agriculture said that over 10 billion trees were planted in the first two years of the Green Legacy project. The project is aimed at planting 20 billion trees by 2022.
