Ethiopia embarked on an unprecedented environmental endeavor Thursday as millions of citizens participated in a nationwide effort to plant 700 million trees in a single day. This ambitious initiative forms part of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Green Legacy program, which aims to plant 50 billion trees across the drought-prone nation by 2026.
By dawn’s early light, Ethiopians from all walks of life could be seen digging and planting across urban centers and rural landscapes.
Government spokesman Tesfahun Gobezay reported that 14.9 million citizens had already planted 355 million seedlings before 6 a.m. local time, though these figures remain unverified by independent sources.
Prime Minister Abiy, who has championed this reforestation project since 2019, took to social media platform X to rally participation: “We have launched the annual Green Legacy planting campaign early this morning. Our goal this year is 700 million seedlings. Let’s achieve it together.”
The Nobel Peace laureate personally joined planting activities in Jimma, the largest city in southwestern Oromia region, while his ministers fanned out across other provinces to support local efforts.
