August 17, 2026
July 27/2018 (From Melmi):- The Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure Development and the leaders and employees of the relevant institutions have left their mark on the historic program of planting 800 million seedlings in one night, which was held nationwide.
The institutions, in collaboration with the local community, planted approximately twenty-one thousand tree seedlings in a place called Gebeya in Akaki Qaliti Subdistrict 03.
The Minister of Urban and Infrastructure, Honorable Ms. Chaltu Sani, who attended the program, said that most of the residents of Ethiopian cities live in cities, but are far from the benefits that urbanism should provide. Poorly planned, overcrowded, and increasingly vulnerable to natural and man-made disasters such as floods, poor solid and wastewater collection and disposal, and air pollution have made cities unsuitable for a healthy and productive life for citizens, he said.
The Honorable Minister added that over the past five years, the Green Legacy Program has expanded green spaces that serve as the lungs of cities, protected rivers, and reduced flood vulnerability through green and watershed development projects.
Cities have been built to be aesthetically pleasing, comfortable to live in, and beautiful to look at. In the past 5 years alone, more than 40 billion saplings have been planted under the Green Legacy, with 90% of them being certified, and as a result, Ethiopia’s forest cover has increased from 17.2% in 2018 to 23.6% in 2023. Even if we look at Addis Ababa’s forest cover alone, it has increased from 11% to 20%. These and similar projects are living examples of the ongoing shift towards ecological urban design, where natural landscapes are an integral part of urban development planning, said Honorable Minister Chaltu.
The Ministry of the Interior and the relevant institutions, through their staff and management, should play a major role in achieving the vision of making the city more convenient for its residents by engaging the entire urban community in planting and maintaining them, she said.
