The Ethiopian Embassy in Ghana, together with members of Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party Youth Wing from Addis Ababa and the Greater Accra National Democratic Congress (NDC) Youth Wing, has undertaken a tree-planting initiative at Manet Junction in Accra.
The exercise brought together young people, diplomats and other stakeholders in a demonstration of environmental responsibility and cooperation between Ghana and Ethiopia.
Participants planted a variety of tree species, including Olea europaea (olive tree), Cordia africana, Spathodea campanulata and Faidherbia albida, along the median of the Manet Junction road in the Spintex area.
Among those who participated in the exercise were the Greater Accra NDC Youth Organiser, Amos Blessing; Vice President of the ECOWAS Tourism Private Sector, Nancy Sam; Executive Member of Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party, Betelhem Daniel; and the Chargé d’Affaires of the Ethiopian Embassy in Ghana, Ageazi Bhrane.
The initiative was aimed at promoting environmental conservation while using youth engagement as a platform to strengthen the relationship between the two African countries.
Addressing participants, Mr Bhrane said the exercise represented more than the planting of trees, describing it as a symbol of African solidarity, youth cooperation and a shared commitment to protecting the continent’s environment.
He noted that Ethiopia had placed environmental protection at the centre of its development agenda through its Green Legacy Initiative, which has mobilised citizens to plant trees, restore degraded landscapes and strengthen the country’s resilience to climate change.
“This initiative is much more than planting seedlings. It is a symbol of African solidarity, youth cooperation, environmental responsibility and our shared commitment to the future of our continent,” he said.
The Ethiopian diplomat noted that in collaboration with Ghanaian youth demonstrated the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges that cut across national borders.
Betelhem Daniel, an Executive Member of the Prosperity Party, emphasized that the delegation travelled from Ethiopia because of its belief that relations between Ghana and Ethiopia should be strengthened not only through diplomatic engagement but also through practical initiatives that benefit citizens and the wider continent.
She stated that the decision to plant trees together was a simple but powerful expression of friendship, cooperation and a shared responsibility towards Africa’s future.
“We came from Ethiopia because we believe that the friendship between our two countries must be strengthened not only through diplomatic engagements, but also through practical action that benefits our people and the continent,” she said.
Ms Daniel noted that African countries were confronting growing environmental challenges, including climate change, land degradation, deforestation, droughts, floods and pollution, which continue to affect the lives and livelihoods of millions of people across the continent.
In addressing the scale of the challenge, she noted that it required leadership, cooperation and sustained action, particularly from Africa’s young people.
“As young people, we cannot sit back and wait for others to solve these problems for us. The future belongs to us; therefore, the responsibility also belongs to us,” she said.
She underscored the critical role young people must play in shaping environmentally sustainable communities and called for stronger collaboration among African youth to address climate and environmental challenges.
The tree-planting exercise also highlighted the potential for people-to-people diplomacy to complement formal bilateral relations between Ghana and Ethiopia, particularly through youth exchanges, environmental cooperation and other initiatives of shared interest.
Beyond its environmental significance, the initiative demonstrated how youth and political organisations from different African countries can work together around practical development issues while promoting the ideals of Pan-African solidarity.
For the Ethiopian delegation and their Ghanaian counterparts, the trees planted at Manet Junction were presented as a symbol of a growing friendship between the two countries and a shared commitment by Africa’s younger generation to take greater responsibility for the continent’s future.
Related Posts
