Billion Seedlings Allotted to East Africa Countries Promote Collaboration, Dev't: Commissioner

Addis Ababa, July 01 , 2021 (ENA) The one billion tree seedlings planned to be distributed to East African countries will promote peace, collaboration, and development among the countries, according to Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commissioner.

Environment, Forest and Climate Change Commissioner Prof. Fekadu Beyene told ENA that the green development collaboration has immense benefits.

“Climate change necessitates collaboration. And this transboundary green development immensely contributes to developing and seeking solution for common problems together,” the commissioner said, adding that it would also facilitate people-to-people friendship and collaboration among the countries.

According to him, the seedlings support to the East African countries contributes its share to  Agenda 2063.

Close to a dozen countries have communicated Ethiopia to take their share out of the 1 billion tree seedlings allocated to the East African countries, Professor Fekadu revealed.

Djibouti, Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Uganda, Somaliland and Puntland have so far communicated Ethiopia’s diplomatic institutions, he added.

The commissioner said, “We initially planned to support few neighboring countries, but other countries have now asked for seedlings; and we are trying to support those countries too.”

Beyond expressing interest, some countries have taken steps to implement the initiative.  

Ethiopia and Djibouti have established a joint coordinating committee in Djibouti to expedite the successful planting of nine million tree seedlings in the country, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Noting that Ethiopia has prepared seedlings nurtured and cultivated in an ecologically adaptable environment to the climate of the receiving countries, the commissioner called on them to identify the type of tree saplings favorable to their ecological zone, rainy season, and state the amount of seedlings they want.

Ethiopia plans to plant 6 billion seedlings and pledged to provide 1 billion tree seedlings to East African countries in its belief that climate change and desertification in the region demand regional solutions.