Lower Riparian Countries Need to Support Ethiopia’s Environmental Protection Initiates: Professor Tasew Woldehana - ENA English
Lower Riparian Countries Need to Support Ethiopia’s Environmental Protection Initiates: Professor Tasew Woldehana
July 09, 2022 (ENA) The lower riparian countries need to support Ethiopia’s effort for ensuring sustainable flow of Abbay River including cost sharing, President of Addis Ababa University Professor Tasew Woldehana said.
Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative has significant contributions in protecting & cleaning water, preserving biodiversity, preserving wildlife, improving health, climate sequester, mitigation, & adaptation, building resilience, and advancing social capital.
Professor Tasew told ENA that Ethiopia’s Green Legacy program and other environmental protection initiatives will provide assurances for the sustainable flow of Abbay River.
Despite knowing the fact that developing Abbay River is significant for all, he said the lower riparian countries especially Egypt and Sudan are not providing any support for Ethiopia at the moment.
Stressing that Ethiopia’s environmental protection activities including the green legacy program is crucial for the lower riparian countries, Tasew said, adding Egypt and Sudan should support Ethiopia's environmental work for the sustainable flow of the Abbay River including with cost sharing.
According to Prof. Tassew, the rehabilitation effort of natural resources including the Abay River and protection of soil erosion will enable the country to utilize its resources and ensure sustainable flow of the river to lower riparian countries.
He further stated that the green initiative will be instrumental in protecting GERD from sedimentation, for the benefits of downstream countries as well.
The fourth Green Legacy planting campaign has begun last month with a target of planting 6 billion seedlings during this rainy season.
Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is expected to surpass its goal of planting 20 billion tree seedlings this summer.
Launched in June of 2019, the Green legacy initiative aims to curb the effects of climate change and deforestation in Ethiopia.