ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia and Norway have formalized a partnership with a $75 million agreement aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from deforestation and forest degradation. The pact was signed by Ethiopian Finance Minister Ahmed Shide and Norwegian Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen.

According to Ethiopian News Agency, this collaboration will bolster Ethiopia’s ongoing efforts in forestry development and environmental conservation.

The finance minister highlighted that the Ethiopian government prioritizes combating climate change, reducing poverty, and fostering a climate-resilient economy. He pointed to the nationwide tree planting initiative, the Green Legacy Initiative led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, as a key effort in the country’s strategy to address climate change. Ethiopia has allocated over $82 billion to climate change mitigation and adaptation programs, with a significant portion of funding derived from public sources and complemented by international aid.

“The partnership agreement we signed today marks a new era of collaboration, including a results-based payment approach towards 2030,” Shide remarked, underscoring the successful cooperation between Ethiopia and Norway over the past decade. He also noted that the relationship between the two nations extends to mutual interests in peace, security, climate change mitigation, private sector development, and gender equality.

Norwegian Climate and Environment Minister Andreas Bjelland Eriksen praised Ethiopia’s Green Legacy initiative as an ambitious plan to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Norway, having been one of the first countries to support Ethiopia’s climate resilient green economy strategy since its launch in 2011, acknowledges Ethiopia’s leadership in green policy implementation in Africa. “Ethiopia is at the forefront of climate change challenges, and the goal to double its forest cover by 2030 is commendable,” Eriksen stated, expressing Norway’s pride in contributing to Ethiopia’s achievements in increasing forest cover through strong governmental policies.

Eriksen further expressed Norway’s commitment to supporting Ethiopia in the next phase of their partnership, which will include continuing the REDD+ investment program initiated last year, highlighting the sustained effort towards environmental sustainability and climate resilience.