Islamabad, August 21, 2025 — The Europe Today: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) hosted a high-level Ethiopian delegation at Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9), Islamabad, to mark the launch of the “Plant Fraternity” initiative aimed at fostering friendly and brotherly relations between Pakistan and Ethiopia.
The initiative, a joint collaboration of the Ethiopian Embassy in Islamabad, the CDA, and the Human Resource Development Network of Pakistan (HRDN), featured a plantation ceremony where a large number of youth actively participated, symbolizing the spirit of cooperation in combating climate change.
Addressing the ceremony, the Ethiopian Ambassador highlighted that Pakistan is severely affected by climate change despite being among the least contributors to global carbon emissions. He noted that Ethiopia had sent its delegation to support Pakistan’s climate resilience efforts.
“The ‘Plant Fraternity’ initiative is a gift from our government, under which we would like to share the successful experiences of the Green Legacy Programme of our Prime Minister H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed with Pakistan,” the Ambassador stated.
He further informed that under Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, more than 41.2 billion seedlings have been planted in the last six years, addressing challenges such as land degradation, deforestation, food insecurity, unemployment, and poverty.
Speaking on the occasion, H.E. Awais Tarar, Director General Environment of CDA, lauded the Ethiopian Embassy’s efforts in launching the initiative, emphasizing that it would not only strengthen bilateral ties but also contribute significantly to Islamabad’s greening efforts. He noted that the CDA is pursuing afforestation campaigns with active community participation.
Ms. Robeela Bangash, Chief Executive Officer of HRDN, underlined the vital role of youth in climate action, urging them to participate fully in plantation drives to help avert the adverse impacts of climate change.
The ceremony marked the symbolic beginning of a shared commitment by Pakistan and Ethiopia to expand environmental cooperation while reinforcing their bilateral relations.
