By Samiya Mohammed The thunderclap of Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs has a tempest across Africa’s economic landscape. With rates soaring to 50% for Lesotho’s textiles, 47% for Madagascar’s vanilla, and 30% for South Africa’s autos, the policies crystallize a brutality of nations nurtured by AGOA’s duty-free access now face commercial exile from their largest Northern market. Within this turbulence lies a galvanizing truth: Africa’s survival hinges not on pleading for Western leniency but on accelerating its continental trade renaissance. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfFTA) emerges as a spearhead for structural sovereignty. Trump’s tariff architecture, basing rates on bilateral trade deficits divided by imports, betrays a grotesque illogic. Lesotho is among the most severely impacted countries in Africa. The country exports approximately 200 million USD in textiles to the United States, while importing only 3 million USD in return. With the introduction of the new reciprocal tariff system, Lesotho is confronted with tariffs as high as 50 percent on its exported goods. Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire are also encountering significant difficulties. Ghana has been subjected to a 10 percent tariff, whereas Côte d’Ivoire, recognized as an agricultural powerhouse exporting nearly 1 billion USD in cocoa to the United States, has faced a 21 percent duty. This mathematical cruelty ignores why deficits exist. Africa exports raw minerals exempt from tariffs, but faces punitive rates on value-added goods like apparel or processed cocoa, the very industries AGOA sought to nurture. Landlocked states like Botswana rely on South African ports. Tariffs on South Africa thus cascade regionally, fracturing supply chains like brittle glass. This challenge has escalated even though negotiations are currently taking place with the Trump administration. The World Trade Organization (WTO), which was created to promote a rules-based global trading system, appears to be concerned about this crisis. Its dispute resolution mechanism, which is fundamental to its effectiveness, is essentially weakened, obstructing its capacity to tackle trade disparities and protect the interests of member countries. This immobilization carries significant consequences for the global economy, potentially resulting in heightened trade tensions, retaliatory actions, and a deterioration of the core principles of international trade agreements. However, the organization is optimist about Africa. When Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Director-General of the WTO, spoke at the opening plenary session of the 4th Finance for Development Conference in Seville this year, she remarked that developing nations, which had anticipated boosting export revenues to avert a decline in their balance of payments, are now faced with a disruption so significant that it contributes to financial instability. “This is why we have argued that least developed countries as a group, and Africa as a region, should be exempted from these reciprocal tariffs, so we can better integrate them into the world trading system, not further exclude them, so that they can stand a better chance to earn the resources with which to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.” The call made by the head of the WTO is significant, as it may assist nations on the continent in negotiating according to the principle of reciprocity, grounded in the national interests of each country. However, Africans possess a wealth of opportunities within their own borders. These opportunities could potentially elevate the continent to a prominent position on the global political and economic stage, providing substantial leverage. Engaging in trade among themselves is crucial to alleviating the impending threat of the current global trade war. While appealing to Washington to consider exemptions for the poorest nations, Okonjo-Iweala said the continent must not wait for outside leniency. She said the message is simply that Africa must become more self-reliant. To achieve that, she emphasized the urgent need to mobilize domestic resources, streamline regulatory bottlenecks, and, above all, deepen intra-African trade, which currently accounts for only 16 percent to 20 percent of the continent’s commerce. Here is the remedy. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) encompassing 54 nations over 1.3 billion people is no longer a bureaucratic dream but an urgent lifeline. The effective execution of this agreement is anticipated to enhance intra-African trade and generate opportunities for Africa to industrialize and increase its competitiveness in the global market. As global trade fragments, Africa’s internal market projected to hit $3.4 trillion by 2030 becomes the ultimate insulator. Such synergies are latent. AfCFTA’s reduction of 90% intra-African tariffs makes them viable and urgent, as Chinese manufacturers, locked out of U.S. markets, may flood Africa with cheap goods, undercutting nascent industries. Bilateral pleas have failed. Lesotho’s delegations secured only partial tariff reductions South Africa’s White House meeting yielded symbolism, not salvation. Unity is non-negotiable. As AU Chair João Lourenço could broker a grand bargain duty-free access for U.S. firms to Africa’s booming consumer markets in exchange for tariff relief on African apparel and agro-processing. Simultaneously, Africa’s critical minerals 92% of Botswana’s exports, 81% of DRC’s grant leverage. The U.S. needs cobalt for EVs and platinum for hydrogen Africa need not surrender it cheaply. Trump’s tariffs are a searing indictment of global trade’s hypocrisy but also Africa’s historic fragmentation. The answer isn’t despair but defiance through integration. Implementation accelerants are critical. Pilot transactions between Kenya, Ghana, Egypt, and South Africa must scale from hundreds to millions of shipments. Lesotho’s textile workers deserve subsidies for retraining or factory pivots to regional markets. China’s offer of duty-free access to 53 African nations, excluding, must be leveraged, but cautiously avoiding new dependency traps. As Wamkele Mene, AfCFTA Secretary-General, declares, “No single market will survive alone. Our combined population is our power”. The tariff storm may rage, but within it, Africa plants the seeds of an irreversible economic emancipation. Let factories hum in Lagos for Addis consumers, let Congolese tech startups scale in Johannesburg hubs. When trade walls rise, continents that trade with themselves thrive. Africa’s moment is not coming; it is here, forged in the fire of unjust tariffs and seized by continental vision.

By Gosaye Feyisa   Launched by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in June 2019, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) has grown into one of the world’s largest reforestation efforts. With over 40 billion seedlings planted and a target of 54 billion by 2026, the initiative is reshaping Ethiopia’s landscapes and setting a powerful example for environmental restoration, climate resilience, and food security across the continent. In 2025 alone, Ethiopia targets the planting of 7.5 billion trees, continuing its nationwide mobilization involving government institutions, communities, youth, and international partners. Observers and policymakers increasingly recognize the initiative as a replicable model for African countries facing similar environmental threats. Nigeria’s VP: Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Is a Blueprint for Africa During a visit to Ethiopia in July 2025, Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shettima praised the Green Legacy Initiative as a bold and practical response to climate challenges, calling it a blueprint for Africa’s sustainable future. Speaking at the official launch of the 2025 campaign alongside Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, Shettima noted Ethiopia’s remarkable progress and its aim to plant 7.5 billion seedlings this year alone. He highlighted that the initiative—having already planted 40 billion trees and created hundreds of thousands of green jobs—is an example of visionary leadership and climate action. Applauding Abiy Ahmed as an inspiring reformer, Shettima urged other African nations to follow Ethiopia’s lead. “The promise of Ethiopia’s Green Legacy is the dream of every nation. It is a lesson in vision, in purpose, and in audacity,” he said. Ethiopia Leading Africa’s Green Revolution Harsen Nyambe, Director of Sustainable and Blue Economy at the African Union Commission, called Ethiopia a beacon of hope. He emphasized that its large-scale tree-planting campaign supports the African Union’s Great Green Wall Initiative, which seeks to combat desertification in the Sahel and Horn of Africa. “The Green Legacy of Ethiopia is a very good example… there are a lot of countries who want to do what Ethiopia is doing. But they do not have the know-how,” Nyambe noted, encouraging Ethiopia to share its expertise. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative proves that with political will and community mobilization, even arid regions can be transformed into green, productive landscapes. Youth Engagement: Securing Africa’s Environmental Future The African Youth Conference for Peace became a landmark moment for youth-led environmental action. Delegates from Uganda, Burundi, and the Eastern Africa Standby Force participated in tree-planting efforts and committed to replicating Green Legacy back home. Nkakaire Anthony, a youth from Uganda, shared: “One of the biggest lessons I am taking back home is ensuring every youth out there preaches the gospel of planting trees… The future of Africa is determined by what is happening in the current generation.” This grassroots engagement highlights the power of youth leadership and environmental education for long-term climate resilience. Regional Impact: The “Green Brotherhood” Grows South Sudan’s Ministry of Environment Undersecretary, Joseph Africano Bartel, noted that Ethiopia has provided saplings to South Sudan and Djibouti under the “Green Brotherhood” initiative. He stressed the urgency of adopting such strategies across the region to tackle climate change, secure food systems, and promote sustainable agriculture. “The effects of the environment will not wait for us… we must exploit and manage our natural resources in a sustainable manner,” Bartel said. Andres Gulwak of South Sudan praised Ethiopia’s integration of agriculture and reforestation: “Ethiopia has invested a lot in agriculture… it’s up to us, the neighboring countries, to adapt this.” Global Recognition and Climate Leadership International leaders have lauded Ethiopia’s efforts. Portuguese Foreign Minister João Gomes Cravinho encouraged others to emulate the GLI model, while the UNFCCC’s Least Developed Countries Expert Group (LEG) recognized GLI’s role in climate action. “Afforestation is a key climate action. Ethiopia planting 600 million trees in a single day is huge. It is a good, worth-emulating initiative,” said LEG Chair Gabriel Kapaka. Linus Mofor of the UN Economic Commission for Africa emphasized GLI’s importance for strengthening hydropower systems and boosting food security through diversified tree planting, including fruit and cash crops. Food Security and Agricultural Transformation Ethiopia’s Green Legacy is closely tied to its broader agricultural transformation strategy. At the 2024 World Without Hunger Conference, leaders from Sierra Leone and Guinea praised Ethiopia’s achievements in agricultural reform and wheat production. Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio noted: “Ethiopia now exports wheat… that is a phenomenal job.” Guinea’s Prime Minister Mamadou Oury Bah stressed that the Green Legacy Initiative not only enhances climate resilience but also creates jobs for youth. He pledged to replicate Ethiopia’s approach, particularly in reforesting Guinea’s Fouta Djallon highlands—a critical water source for over 15 African countries. Key Lessons for African Nations Ethiopia’s Green Legacy provides key lessons for climate action and sustainable development across Africa. It shows the power of strong political will, mass mobilization, and youth engagement. By sharing knowledge, investing in drylands, integrating agroforestry with farming and uniting for climate finance, African nations can build a greener, more resilient future. In conclusion, Ethiopia’s Green Legacy is more than a tree-planting campaign—it’s a model for climate resilience, sustainable development, and African unity. As more nations express interest in adopting similar programs, Ethiopia is poised to lead a continent-wide green transformation.