Islamabad, 23 August 2024 (TDI): Pakistan and Ethiopia on Friday announced to establish a dedicated park in Islamabad next month to foster fraternity and brotherhood between the two nations under the ongoing bilateral cooperation in the area of climate change.
The announcement to this effect was made during a media briefing jointly addressed by Special Envoy and Ambassador of Ethiopia to Pakistan Jemal Beker Abdula, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Climate Change Romina Khursheed Alam and H.E. Muhammad Ali Randhawa, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority and Commissioner Islamabad.
The joint media briefing was held at the Ethiopia Embassy Islamabad, which was followed by a tree plantation ceremony aimed at contributing to Ethiopia’s record-breaking initiative of planting six hundred million seedlings in one day under the globally recognized Green Legacy Initiative of Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia.
Individuals from all walks of life including diplomatic community, government officials, academicians, religious and business fraternity, youth, media and civil society gathered at the Embassy and planted saplings of vegetables, fruits, and other species under the Green Legacy Initiative.
Addressing the press briefing, Ambassador Jemal Beker expressed gratitude to the government and the people of Pakistan for contributing to six hundred million tree plantation initiative of the government of Ethiopia.
He recalled the launch of Ethio-Pakistan Fraternity under the Green Legacy Initiative programme across Pakistan under which trees were planted across the country and Ethio-Pakistan Fraternity Parks and Enclaves have also been established.
Climate Change is no more a buzzword rather it is a reality and for that matter we all have to join hands to deal with the looming threat which is taking more lives than any other international, crises, he said while announcing the launch of the second round of Ethio-Pakistan Fraternity under the Green Legacy Initiative programme in Pakistan.
The envoy said that a dedicated park for Ethiopia-Pakistan friendship was being set up in Islamabad in collaboration with CDA and the Climate Change Ministry. The Ethiopian Embassy would look after the park after it is completed, he added.
Romina Khursheed said that she and the Ethiopian ambassador started a collaboration in sectors of climate change and sustainable development goals since 2022.
She recalled the launch of Ethio-Pakistan Fraternity Programme in 2023 through a collaboration between her office and the Ethiopian Embassy under the Green Legacy Initiative of PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed, which is a laudable initiative.
“This initiative stands as beacon of hope for the globe,” she said, adding that Islamabad was looking forward to learn from the best practices of Ethiopia.
She said the government was also scaling up the Green Pakistan programme which was launched under the leadership of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and received recognition internationally.
The CDA Chairman lauded Ethiopian ambassador for his efforts to tackle climate change which required collective efforts for being an international problem.
He said the CDA would collaborate with the embassy for promoting the green initiative.
