Green Legacy Initiative Exemplary to Horn Countries: Ambassador Daisuke Matsunaga

Addis Ababa June 20/2020(ENA) Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative can be exemplary to the Horn of Africa, particularly to the semi-arid East African climate, Japan's Ambassador to Ethiopia Daisuke Matsunaga said. 

Ambassador Matsunaga told Ethiopian News Agency that Ethiopia has been demonstrating its ideal climate-resilient green economy that can lead to eradication of poverty and overall economic growth.

“I like this ongoing Green Legacy Initiative, one of the country’s great moves. Greenery, forests and planting trees play pivotal role in Ethiopia's future development. Therefore, Japan will fully support the program initiated by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,” he added.

Matsunaga said Japan has specific programs that provide financial and technical assistances for  Ethiopia’s reforestation program and green infrastructure development. 

“We have, for instance, engaged in promoting forest coffee production, specially in the Rift Valley areas of East Shoa under the agro-forestry project in Oromia Regional State. Our engagement In this regard, is very productive and synergic in tackling soil erosion and recurrent flood impacts. So we are always determined and open to help Ethiopia's green initiatives,” the ambassador elaborated.

He stated that Japan is a land of forests, approximately two-third of its land covered with  forest, because the country has followed sound and comprehensive forest policy after the Second World War.

“In Ethiopia there are lots of semi-aired areas. But I learned that higher percentage of lands were covered by forest and trees in the older times. Thus it is very important to reforest and  make Ethiopia greener again,” Matsunaga underlined.

Ethiopians all over the country have planted 353 million trees in a single day on July 30, 2019, and a total of over 4 billion seedlings in total, which is a world record of its kind.

Through the Green Legacy the country has a national grand plan to plant 20 billion trees in five years.