Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative Elevates Global Reputation, Productivity: CSO Leaders

Addis Ababa, August 2, 2026 (ENA—Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) is increasingly enhancing the country’s international reputation while delivering measurable gains in environmental restoration and agricultural productivity, leaders of major civil society organizations (CSOs) said.

The organizations said the initiative has evolved far beyond a nationwide tree-planting campaign into a comprehensive development strategy that reinforces environmental security, food sovereignty, ecological resilience, and Ethiopia’s transition toward a green economy.

They noted that the annual campaign has become a unique model of mass public participation, government leadership, and institutional cooperation, positioning Ethiopia as an emerging example of large-scale ecosystem restoration and climate action in Africa.

 

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched this year’s Green Legacy campaign in early June on the shores of Lake Hora Arsadi in Bishoftu under the theme “Let us plant hope.”

At the launch, the Prime Minister said the initiative embodies the idea of “planting the bright hope of tomorrow today” by laying the foundation for future prosperity through environmental restoration and sustainable development.

He described every seedling planted as an investment in future generations, saying today’s efforts would grow into “the trunk, branches, and fruits of prosperity.”

PM Abiy emphasized that the Green Legacy Initiative is a long-term national development agenda that contributes to Ethiopia’s sovereignty and prosperity by strengthening environmental and ecological security.

According to the Prime Minister, Ethiopia has planted more than 48 billion multipurpose seedlings since the initiative began in 2019 and aims to plant more than 8 billion additional seedlings this year, bringing the cumulative total to over 56 billion.

He called on citizens to participate in the nationwide campaign to plant 800 million seedlings in a single day on July 27 of the 2018 Ethiopian calendar, describing the effort as a new chapter in Ethiopia’s development journey.

Civil society leaders said the initiative is already generating tangible environmental and economic benefits.

Director of the Ethiopian People, Health and Environment Consortium (PHE Ethiopia Consortium), Endasaw Moges, said his organization has been actively engaged in environmental protection, ecological security, and community-based sustainable development programs.

 

He said the Green Legacy Initiative is producing visible results through ecosystem restoration, biodiversity conservation, and the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes.

“The initiative is strengthening food sovereignty, improving agricultural productivity, and enhancing Ethiopia’s international image by demonstrating the country’s commitment to addressing climate change and environmental degradation,” Endasaw said.

President of the Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations Council, Ahmed Hussein, described the Green Legacy Initiative as a transformative national development program that has expanded economic opportunities while improving environmental sustainability.

He said the initiative is contributing to increased forest cover, biodiversity protection, and agricultural productivity through broad-based public participation and community engagement.

Ahmed added that civil society organizations remain committed to supporting environmental conservation and sustainable development through their continued participation in the annual Green Legacy campaign.

Analysts increasingly view the initiative as one of Ethiopia’s most ambitious environmental and development programs, linking ecological restoration with economic transformation and climate resilience.

 

By integrating environmental conservation with agricultural development, watershed rehabilitation, and community participation, the Green Legacy Initiative is positioning Ethiopia not only as a country restoring its landscapes, but also as one seeking to redefine development through sustainability.

For many Ethiopians, the initiative has become a national mission that connects present and future generations, an effort that seeks to transform degraded landscapes into productive ecosystems while strengthening the foundations of long-term prosperity and resilience.