Now is the time to invest in the environment. Even though Africa is not contributing to the ever-increasing climate change and related impacts, the continent is highly affected by the toxic carbon emissions from Western big industries.
According to the Africa Natural Capital Atlas, Africa holds 8 percent of the world’s natural gas, 12 percent of its oil reserves, and 30 percent of global mineral deposits. Its fisheries are valued at over 24 billion USD, and it contains more than 60 percent of the world’s undeveloped arable land. Mensur emphasized the importance of having a unified and common position on the environmental challenges that the continent is facing.
Understanding the diverse impact it would have on the livelihood of human beings, Ethiopia has been undertaking various significant afforestation tasks by mobilizing the public at large. This has enabled the country to plant a total of 32.5 billion saplings over the past years.
Planting tree seedlings of various kinds is not a new phenomenon for the government and people of Ethiopia; it is a culture nurtured by every government and its people. To verify this, one can simply visit any house in Ethiopia and observe the eye-catching green plants that adorn them.
Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative aims to combat climate change, restore biodiversity, and ensure sustainable development. The initiative involves the mass planting of billions of trees across the country.
The environmental rehabilitation and protection conducted every year by an average of 20 million citizens in Ethiopia set the groundwork for massive tree planting. The campaign, conducted annually, has helped retain topsoil in various regions of the country and contribute to the reduction of soil erosion and landslides during the rainy season.
Understanding the necessity of working together to combat climate change, Ethiopia, since the early period of the initiative, has focused on regionalizing the Green Legacy initiative. Apart from undertaking various deeds locally, Ethiopia has sent its youth to share the country’s massive plantation experience and promote tree planting in different African countries by planting seedlings.
The youth planted trees in every country they visited and shared Ethiopia’s experiences in mobilizing the masses to plant billions of trees. They were ambassadors of their country, deployed to strengthen fraternity with the people of Africa to enhance the strong bonds of Ethiopia with the people and countries of Africa.
Ethiopia is setting an example for the rest of the world in planting seedlings for green development, which is key to combating climate change. As the problem is a global issue, the solution requires working together, and Ethiopia shows its commitment to working with its neighbors and the African continent as a whole to take meaningful action to combat climate change.
This journey in Ethiopia goes beyond planting trees; it is a journey of planting everlasting fraternity. The youth are ambassadors of Ethiopia, sent to strengthen brotherhood and friendship with our African brothers and sisters. The seedlings they plant in these countries are not simply trees; they symbolize planting fraternity and friendship that help make diplomatic relations everlasting.
Though the Ethiopian youth journey symbolizes Green Diplomacy, its aim is to strengthen people-to-people relations, fraternity, and cooperation, standing together and promoting Pan-Africanism. The goal of Green Diplomacy is to integrate and connect Africa for mutual development, strengthening African fraternity and promoting Pan-Africanism for the development and prosperity of Africa and its people.
Africa can achieve its dreams by synergizing resources, knowledge, and ideas, and the goal of Green Diplomacy initiated by the Ethiopian youth is to realize this approach for the development of Africa by strengthening relations among African nations to achieve integration and cooperation. This new initiative is a historic event to strengthen African fraternity and promote the green legacy across Africa.
Nowadays, climate change is not just a single issue; it has become a political, economic, and diplomatic issue as it threatens the survival of all living things on this planet. Understanding this, Ethiopia invests maximum efforts in combating climate change and taking necessary actions.
Taking timely actions to combat climate change at home is one thing; expanding and advancing this initiative to Africa is an additional blessing. This mission is something special as it combines green legacy, fraternity, diplomacy, and cooperation for common development, strengthening public diplomacy, green initiatives, planting permanent fraternity, and enhancing diplomatic relations.
The Ethiopian youth have already started arriving in countries as per the schedule. On Wednesday, the Ethiopian youth delegation arrived in Juba, South Sudan. Similarly, on Thursday, youths arrived in Khartoum, Sudan, and Nairobi, Kenya. They plant seedlings, promote tree planting in the countries they visit, and hold discussions with youth representatives.
Ethiopia has reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to advancing Africa’s common position on environmental-related affairs, according to the Ministry of Planning and Development.
Mensur Dessie, the Environment and Climate Change Agreement Strategic Partnership Head at the Ministry of Planning and Development, stated that Ethiopia will work towards advancing the common environmental issues of the African continent.
Ethiopia has been making utmost efforts towards realizing the continent’s stands on the environment.
He also emphasized that having a unified and common position on the environmental challenges facing the continent is of paramount importance.
Ethiopia will play its role in maintaining a unified voice and common positions to address the common challenges of Africa in this regard. Mensur also renewed Ethiopia’s firm stand to intensify its critical role in the priorities of the continent.
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 24 SEPTEMBER 2024
