Ethiopia, Norway Sign 75-million-USD Agreement

Addis Ababa February 27/2024(ENA) Ethiopia and Norway have signed a 75-million-USD agreement to reduce green gas emission from deforestation and forest degradation. 

The agreement was signed between Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Norway Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen today.

Speaking on the occasion, the finance minister said the agreement will enable Ethiopia to continue strengthening the work it is doing in forestry development and environmental protection.

Fighting climate change and poverty reduction as well as building climate resilient economy disaster economy remain among the top priorities of the Ethiopia government, he added.

According to him, the nationwide tree planting campaign under the Green Legacy Initiative by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is another manifestation of his commitment to addressing climate change. 

Ethiopia has invested over 82 billion USD in climate change mitigation and adaptation programs and the majority of the finance office projects and programs come from public finance supplemented with international development aid, Ahmed Shide stated. 

“The partnership agreement we signed today is yet another testimony of our successful collaboration and achievement during the past decade marks a new era of collaboration and partnership, including through resulted-based payment approach in the run to 2030."

Ethiopia and Norway have enjoyed longstanding bilateral diplomatic relations, the minister explained, adding that their common interests include peace and security, migrate climate change, private sector development, gender equality among others. 

Norway Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen said the Green Legacy initiated by the government is ambitious plan to reduce adverse effect of climate change.

The country has been a long standing partner of Ethiopia on climate and forest, he stated.

"We were one of the first countries to fully commit our long term support for Ethiopia’s climate resilient green economy strategy when launched in Durban in 2011." 

And throughout this decade, Ethiopia has truly been a leader on the African continent when it comes to designing and implementing green economic development policies. Ethiopia is in many ways at the very front line of climate change, Climate and Environment Minister Eriksen noted.

"I am encouraged to learn that Ethiopia has increased its forest cover due to strong government policy measures that yield the necessary results; and the ambitious target of doubling the forest cover by 2030 is very much impressive. And Norway is proud to have supported this achievement." 

The climate and environment minister added that Norway intends to support Ethiopia during this next phase of partnership, one which includes the continuation of the REDD+ investment program last year.