Green Initiatives in Ethiopia Catalyst to Drive Climate Action across Africa: UN-Habitat Official

Addis Ababa, October 29, 2026 (ENA)—Ethiopia’s green development initiatives provide a practical lesson for African countries seeking to reduce emissions and advance climate action, UN-Habitat Regional Office for Africa Director Oumar Sylla said. 

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Sylla commended Ethiopia’s efforts to curb emissions through clean cooking, cleaner energy for vehicles, green corridors and large-scale tree planting, urging other African countries to learn from the experience and replicate the initiatives.

Emphasizing the significance of leadership, he said “we can only commend the leadership of Ethiopia on those measures to curb emissions in the country, from clean cooking to cleaner energy for vehicles, all those green corridor as well with the goal of planting millions of trees in Ethiopia”.

The Director also stressed the need for African mayors and ministers of urban development to replicate Ethiopia’s experience across the continent. Ethiopia has planted over 56 billion tree seedlings since the launching of the Green Legacy Initiative in 2019.

Commenting on the hosting of the 2027 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) in Ethiopia,  he said the event is an important opportunity for Africa to strengthen its voice in global climate negotiations, promote green investment, and demonstrate progress in addressing climate change.

“We are all excited seeing Ethiopia hosting one of the most critical and most important COP in the human story.”

Sylla noted that the conference comes at a critical time and African countries could use the platform to highlight their climate initiatives, exchange experiences with other nations and strengthen cooperation in advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement.

He underscored the importance of addressing climate change in Africa’s rapidly urbanizing cities, noting that the continent faces growing needs for climate adaptation, mitigation and urban resilience.

According to him, African cities require stronger measures to withstand the impacts of climate change.

The UN-Habitat official emphasized that African countries and cities should strengthen solidarity, share knowledge and develop a common agenda that could be reflected in COP32’s Action Agenda.

Coordinated action among African countries would help advance urban climate solutions and enable cities to learn from one another’s experiences, he added.

Sylla further noted that UN-Habitat remains committed to supporting the Ethiopian government in ensuring the success of COP32.

He said the organization has been engaging with the COP presidencies and working with the Addis Ababa city administration to incorporate urban development priorities into the conference preparations.

He also highlighted Ethiopia’s urban regeneration and greening initiatives as opportunities to demonstrate how cities can contribute to climate action and sustainable urban transformation.

Sylla called on African cities, mayors and housing and urban development ministers to examine Ethiopia’s experience and consider adapting relevant initiatives to their own national and local contexts.

He said COP32 could help advance a stronger African voice in international climate discussions while promoting practical cooperation on emissions reduction, climate resilience and sustainable urban development.

“This COP happening in Africa, in Ethiopia, is a real opportunity for Africa to be more vocal, but also at the same time to build the solidarity we need.”