Ethiopia Well-poised to Tackle Climate Change: UN, EU Representatives

Addis Ababa August 29/2019 Ethiopia, a leader in climate change not only in Africa but globally, is well-poised to tackle the adverse effects of climate change, Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN System in Ethiopia said.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN System in Ethiopia, Steven Were Omamo appreciated Ethiopia for adopting very proactive policies and integrating the green economy agenda into broader development strategies.

“So, in that respect Ethiopia is a leader. I think like in any developing countries this requires major investment because of the challenges the country is facing and the immense climate related stresses that it has to overcome. In terms of having the right policy framework it is very clear that with the right institutional arrangements and the right investment priorities, Ethiopia is very well-poised to tackle the adverse effects of climate change,” he elaborated.

Omamo further stated that Ethiopia's joining the Switch Africa Green Program is well aligned to the environmental protection measures being taken, including the recent Green Legacy Campaign in which a record of over 350 million tree seedlings were planted in just a day.

EU Delegation Cooperation Head, Erik Habers said on his part Ethiopia is a front runner in green economy and has a lot of legislation already in place. And now it is of course time to roll out these legislations and enforce them.

Speaking of Ethiopia’s commitment in planting over 350 million tree seedling in a day, he pointed out "that it is a very important initiative to demonstrate that the country is not only talking but also walking the talk when it comes to reforestation."

The event was well reported and admired by the whole world, Habers said, adding that “to create a real impact, it needs to be done for the size of a country like Ethiopia; but it was a fantastic initiative by the prime minister.”

Every country should take responsible action to tackle climate change, the head said, and stressed “we have one planet to take care of.”