Online Reporter
Gibson Nyikadzino
Zimpapers Politics Hub
The government of Ethiopia is working towards planting at least eight million trees in Zimbabwe next year under the Green Legacy Initiative, the country’s Ambassador Rashid Mohammed Abdulwahid has said.
Ambassador Abdulwahid said plans for the GLI initiative in Zimbabwe are promising as both Government and the private sector are working together.
He made the remarks ahead of the June 8 Africa Day 63rd commemorations to be held by African diplomats accredited to Zimbabwe at the Museum of African Liberation’s Heritage Village.
“What we need is determination, commitment and dedication. This initiative will pave a path for a climate-resilient and green Zimbabwe,” Ambassador Abdulwahid said.
He said Zimbabwe has at least four million primary and secondary school pupils who can actively participate in the tree planting initiative.
The GLI is a Pan-African initiative that Ethiopia is advancing under the “One for All, All for One” theme.
“We are thinking about future generations. If each student plants two trees, that means we have eight million trees.”
Ethiopia launched the GLI in 2019 and has, in the past five years, embarked on a massive tree-planting exercise, resulting in the planting of 47 billion trees.
Meanwhile, Ambassador Abdulwahid also commended Zimbabwe for banning the export of raw lithium, saying value addition to Africa’s resources will aid job creation and benefit local communities.
“All Africans need to capitalise and emulate Zimbabwe. We commend the Government for its policy to ban the export of raw lithium and ensure that local communities benefit from value-addition through job creation,” he added.
