ADDIS ABABA – Head of European Union Delegation to Ethiopia, Ambassador Johan Borgstam said that Climate change and environmental cooperation has remained among the priorities of the Strategic Engagement between Ethiopia and the EU.
Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, the Ambassador stated that EU’s support for development is anchored in the need to protect and conserve environments and ecosystems for the wellbeing of all people. Its work in this area is guided by its commitment to global environment and climate change agreements, and its internal policies.
He noted that EU has been supporting the realization of the Ethiopian Climate Resilient Green Economy Strategy through implementation of various but relevant projects and programs. To conserve the natural resources and biodiversity of Bale Eco-region and to improve communities’ livelihood, the EU provided five million Euro grant to FARM Africa-led consortium from 2014 to 2018.
Following the completion of the aforementioned project, the EU has granted an additional 10 million Euro to same implementing partners to implement the Bale Mountain National Park Management Plan and the Bale Eco-region Development Framework, which are considered as the major outputs of phase I project. The operational implementation period of the 2nd phase is 2019-2024.
Ambassador Borgstam pointed out that EU has also provided 20 million Euros to support the Sustainable Land Management of Ethiopia from 2016 to 2020.
Implemented by GIZ and KfW, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, the project is aimed at conserving the natural resources and improving the livelihood of communities living adjacent to, but adversely impacting on, the two key biodiversity hotspot areas of the country, namely the Bale Mountain National Park and the Yayu Biosphere Reserve.
On 22 July 2019, Ethiopia and EU signed a financing agreement amounting to 36 million Euros (1.17 billion birr) to make the Ethiopian economy greener.
According to the Ambassador, the agreement is part of the climate change budget supporting program. The grant will support Ethiopia “grow greener” by reducing its greenhouse gas emissions. The program also focuses on the mitigation of the impact of climate change and reduction of greenhouse gas emission and livelihood assistance through directly supporting the government structures.
It was stated that the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commission, and the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in collaboration with state governments, will be the main actors in implementing the project.
“The bulk of the finance will, consequently, be channelled through the Ethiopian government aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from forests and industries,” he said, adding that three million of the 36 will be used to enhance the Ethiopia’s measurement, reporting and verification systems, making them complaint with Paris Agreement standards.
The project is aimed at supporting the effort of transforming the economic structure towards climate resilient green economy in the coming three years, Ambassador Borgstam remarked.
The Strategic Engagement between Ethiopia and the EU was signed in June 2016 and the EU mobilized humanitarian and development funds to assist the country when it was affected by El Nino induced drought in the reported year.
The Ethiopian Herald July 30/2019
BY BILAL DERSO
