GLI Evolves into National Transformation Initiative, Says Deputy PM Temesgen

Addis Ababa, August 3, 2026 (ENA) — Millions of Ethiopians across the nation gathered early this morning as the country officially launched its historic campaign to plant 800 million tree seedlings in a single day, setting a new benchmark for national mobilization under the Green Legacy Initiative.

While planting tree seedlings alongside citizens, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh highlighted the deep sense of unity and shared commitment propelling the nationwide drive.

"Today, before the first light touched our mountains, plains, and valleys, millions of Ethiopians answered a common call," Temesgen noted while planting. "Together, they planted not only trees, but hope. Together, they wrote another chapter in a story that continues to inspire the world."

The nationwide single-day campaign, carried out under the theme "Let Us Plant Hope," forms part of Ethiopia’s broader target to plant 8 billion seedlings during the current rainy season.

"United by purpose and guided by a shared responsibility to future generations, Ethiopians from every walk of life—children and elders, farmers and scholars, workers and students, from our cities to our most remote communities came together in a historic national effort to plant 800 million seedlings in a single day," Temesgen said while planting.

He emphasized that this ambitious effort showcases a sustained national resolve that extends beyond the country's borders.

"This bold ambition reflects the spirit that has come to define our Green Legacy: we begin with vision, we persevere with determination, and we deliver with unity," Temesgen added while planting. "Each passing year, our commitment grows stronger, our achievements greater, and the benefits of this movement reach beyond our borders, inspiring others across the region."

Temesgen declared that the movement has matured into a foundational pillar of socio-economic progress, directly driving land restoration, watershed management, and climate resilience.

"The Green Legacy is no longer simply an environmental initiative. It is a national transformation," Temesgen emphasized while planting. "It is strengthening food security, restoring forests, protecting our watersheds, creating livelihoods, and empowering a generation that understands that the greatest inheritance we can leave is a healthier, more resilient nation."

As citizens across cities, towns, and rural areas continue setting seedlings into the earth throughout the day, Temesgen pointed to the long-term impact of today's work.

"Today, our hands have strengthened our future. Our mountains will wear a mantle of green. Our rivers and watersheds will be renewed," Temesgen remarked while planting. "And until the sun sets, we will continue planting because every seedling is a promise, every tree an investment, and every act of stewardship a declaration of faith in tomorrow."

Concluding his speech while planting, Temesgen expressed full confidence in the nation's collective journey: "Ethiopia plants hope. Ethiopia nurtures hope. Ethiopia turns hope into reality. And together, with unwavering resolve and enduring unity, we will continue moving forward stronger than ever."