AMN Plus-August 14, 2026
The Green Legacy Initiative is Ethiopia’s ambitious nationwide effort to restore ecosystems, combat deforestation, and create a lasting environmental legacy through large-scale tree planting.
Launched in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, the initiative seeks to address climate change, land degradation, biodiversity loss, and water scarcity while promoting sustainable development and food security in Ethiopia and the wider Horn of Africa. This year alone, the Ethiopian government has set an ambitious target of planting 8 billion seedlings by the end of the rainy season.
Speaking exclusively to Addis Media Network’s Diplomatic Corner about the implementation of the Green Legacy Initiative across Ethiopia, Russian Ambassador to Ethiopia Evgeny Terekhin said Russia’s support for the initiative is closely linked to a long-standing scientific partnership between the two countries.
According to the ambassador, the partnership is anchored in the Joint Biological Expedition, a unique scientific project that has been operating for more than four decades. Ethiopia and Russia are now working to transform the expedition into a fully fledged bilateral institutional framework, the Centre for Joint Biological Research. The ambassador noted that, in June 2026, the Ethiopian Parliament ratified the intergovernmental agreement establishing the framework.
He said Russia’s objective is to help preserve Ethiopia’s remarkable biodiversity while turning decades of accumulated scientific knowledge into practical agro-technological solutions and advanced research. Such cooperation, he said, can contribute to strengthening food sovereignty and ensuring that Ethiopia’s natural heritage is preserved for future generations.
Ambassador Terekhin further reaffirmed the Russian Federation’s full support for Ethiopia’s large-scale Green Legacy Initiative. He said diplomats at the Russian Embassy in Addis Ababa have actively participated in activities related to the initiative and have planted hundreds of trees as part of their contribution.
Recalling Russia’s previous engagement, the ambassador said that four years ago, during a visit to Ethiopia by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the minister also participated in the Green Legacy Initiative by planting trees on the premises of the Russian Embassy.
The ambassador said Russia views the Green Legacy Initiative as a sovereign and scientifically grounded approach to climate change adaptation. In his view, the initiative demonstrates how effective national resource mobilization can contribute to combating land degradation and desertification. He added that Russia stands ready to support Ethiopia in advancing the initiative by sharing its expertise in sustainable natural-resource management, reforestation, biodiversity conservation, and related scientific fields.
By Birhanu Workneh
