AGP Executive Report

Landslide Tragedy: Heavy overnight rains triggered a hillside collapse at Tsadqane Debre Mitmaq St Mary Orthodox Monastery in Amhara, killing 14 worshippers during an overnight prayer service and injuring seven; search and rescue has been halted and funerals held, with some victims buried on-site and others taken home. Climate Risk & Health: A new study warns climate change will shift malaria risk across Africa, raising childhood cases in cooler regions including parts of Ethiopia while transmission may fall in hotter areas. Green Legacy Push: Ethiopia’s Green Legacy drive hit a record 805+ million seedlings planted in one day, while Ethio Telecom added another 250,000 seedlings and expanded solar-powered telecom sites to cut diesel use. Humanitarian Funding Gap: UNICEF says its 2026 Ethiopia appeal is funded at only 22% (about $88.7m of $401.5m), citing conflict, climate shocks, disease outbreaks and economic stress. Digital Sovereignty: Deputy PM Temesgen Tiruneh says FaydaVerse expands Ethiopia’s national digital ID into broader digital infrastructure, building on tens of millions of registrations and large-scale identity verification services. Urban Greening Example: UNECA highlights Addis Ababa’s electrification and large-scale tree planting as a model for cleaner, greener city development.

Reforestation Push: Ethiopia’s Green Legacy drive hit a new headline figure as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopians planted about 805.3 million tree seedlings in a single day, with millions of participants and a plan to reach 8 billion seedlings across the season. Corporate Green Action: Ethio Telecom backed the national effort with its own Green Legacy round, planting 250,000 seedlings and expanding renewable-powered telecom sites to cut diesel use. Disaster Risk and Climate Impacts: Heavy rains triggered a deadly landslide at an Orthodox monastery in Amhara’s North Shewa, killing 14 worshippers and injuring others; search operations were halted after the collapse. Humanitarian Funding Gap: UNICEF warned of a major shortfall for Ethiopia’s 2026 humanitarian response, saying only $88.7m of the $401.5m needed was available, as conflict, climate shocks, and disease strain services. Health Under Warming: A new study in Nature projects climate change could shift malaria risk, with rising cases in cooler parts of East Africa including Ethiopia. Nuclear Oversight: Ethiopia’s Technology Authority said it is strengthening legal and regulatory rules for peaceful nuclear power, including environmental and public safety safeguards.

Green Legacy Initiative: Ethiopia’s nationwide push to plant 800 million tree seedlings is drawing global attention, with reports saying 805.3 million seedlings were planted and millions of Ethiopians turned out under the “Let Us Plant Hope” theme. Reforestation science: Peer-reviewed studies highlighted survival rates around 80%, forest gains in some areas, and even cooler land-surface temperatures—supporting GLI as a model for ecosystem restoration and climate resilience. Corporate greening: Ethio telecom launched a parallel reforestation drive, targeting 250,000 seedlings and mobilizing thousands of employees and partners. Climate risk and health: A new study warns climate change could expand malaria risk into cooler parts of Africa, including East African highlands such as Ethiopia. Disaster impacts: Heavy rains triggered deadly landslides near a monastery in Amhara, killing 14 worshippers and injuring others—another reminder of how extreme weather can hit communities fast. Water security: Eritrea’s AU update stressed investments in reservoirs and dams to raise potable water coverage, with the AU Executive Council focused on sustainable water and sanitation.

Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) Tree-Planting Drive: Ethiopia kicked off a nationwide push to plant 800 million tree seedlings in a single day, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed reporting 805.3 million seedlings planted and millions of Ethiopians taking part; officials say the effort is aimed at restoring degraded landscapes, boosting climate resilience, protecting water catchments, and supporting food security. Scientific Validation of Restoration: A new set of peer-reviewed studies says GLI is delivering strong seedling survival (around 80%), forest gains in some areas, and measurable cooling effects on land surfaces, with continued expansion projected through 2035. Policy and Unity Messaging: Ministers, parliament speakers, and the Addis Ababa mayor framed GLI as more than reforestation—linking it to national unity, rural livelihoods, and long-term environmental stewardship. Regional Climate Risk Watch: The African Union urged stronger early-warning and preparedness for a likely strong El Niño, warning of severe impacts across Africa. Water and Sanitation Focus at AU: An Eritrean delegation highlighted investments in reservoirs and dams and progress on potable water coverage during the AU Executive Council session in Addis Ababa.

Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) Tree-Planting: Ethiopia kicked off a nationwide push to plant 800 million seedlings in a single day under the “Let Us Plant Hope” theme, with PM Abiy Ahmed joining the campaign at the Artificial Intelligence University and leaders stressing soil, water and mountain protection as the ecological foundation for long-term prosperity. Climate Action Mobilization: Deputy PM Temesgen Tiruneh and PP Vice President Adem Farah framed the GLI as practical climate action that restores degraded ecosystems, boosts biodiversity, and strengthens resilience, building on Ethiopia’s broader goal of planting 8 billion seedlings this rainy season. Regional Lessons on Reforestation: Namibia’s ambassador told ENA that Ethiopia’s approach shows how “what we remove, we need to replenish,” and said Namibia is looking at options like desalination to support afforestation and resilience. Water & Watershed Benefits: Ethiopia’s Water and Energy Minister Habtamu Itefa said GLI is improving vegetation cover and watershed performance, with satellite-backed studies reporting re-emerging springs and streams in basins like Upper Awash and the Abay (Blue Nile). El Niño Preparedness (Africa-wide): The AU urged stronger preparedness as forecasts warn of a strong El Niño intensifying from August, with East Africa likely wetter and Southern Africa facing drought risk.

El Niño Preparedness: The African Union urged member states to step up readiness as forecasts warn a strong El Niño could intensify from August, with East Africa likely seeing heavier rains while Southern Africa faces drought risk—raising stakes for food and water security. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy: Ethiopia is mobilizing for a landmark 800 million seedling planting day under the Green Legacy Initiative, with officials and CSO leaders saying it’s boosting watershed recovery, water resources, and agricultural productivity while strengthening climate resilience. Water & Ecosystems: Ethiopia’s Water and Energy Minister linked GLI to improved vegetation cover, spring re-emergence, and better river flows, and called for internationally recognized Payment for Ecosystem Services mechanisms. Wildlife Conflict: A cruelty-free coalition urged Ethiopia to halt a planned culling of baboons at Nech Sar National Park, arguing killing won’t solve root causes and calling for humane, non-lethal approaches. BRICS Data Cooperation: India will host BRICS Heads of National Statistical Offices in Lucknow (Aug 3–4), with Ethiopia among participants, focusing on “quality statistics” to support sustainable development and resilience. Germplasm Safeguarding: Ghana deposited 422 crop germplasm accessions at the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, highlighting regional efforts to protect plant diversity from climate and pests.

Green Legacy Drive: Ethiopia is mobilizing citizens for a major tree-planting push tied to its Green Legacy Initiative, aiming to plant 800 million seedlings in a single day as part of a wider 8 billion target for the rainy season. COP32 Health Agenda: Ethiopia called for stronger African cooperation to tackle rising cardiovascular disease and other non-communicable diseases, urging prevention, early detection, and better access to quality care as COP32 approaches. Wildlife Conflict: A conservation coalition urged Ethiopia to halt a planned culling of baboons at Nech Sar National Park, arguing killing won’t solve root causes and calling for humane, non-lethal conflict management. Digital Governance & Rights: Ethiopia’s Intellectual Property Authority is revising copyright rules to curb online piracy, including clearer ISP responsibilities and take-down notice procedures. El Niño Watch: Kenya’s meteorology office warned of above-normal rains from October linked to a strong El Niño, with flood and landslide risk areas flagged. Energy Access Lens: A global energy progress report highlights that renewables are advancing fast, but millions still lack reliable electricity—an inequality theme relevant to Ethiopia’s resilience goals. Regional Security & Trade Routes: Ethiopia reaffirmed support for AUSSOM in Somalia and monitored Red Sea shipping risks, with logistics firms weighing rerouting or feeder services to keep cargo moving.

Wildlife & Conservation: Ethiopia is urged to halt a planned culling of baboons at Nech Sar National Park, with a cruelty-free coalition saying killing won’t solve human-wildlife conflict and calling for humane, non-lethal measures and better land-use planning. Climate Restoration: Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is mobilizing millions ahead of a push to plant 800 million tree seedlings in a single day, framed as climate resilience and food-security support ahead of COP32. Green Leadership: Ethiopia’s Deputy PM says the country is building a new generation of leaders to drive green transformation through agriculture, green innovation, renewable energy, and food sovereignty. Digital Governance & Rights: Ethiopia’s Intellectual Property Authority is revising copyright rules to strengthen enforcement against online piracy, including ISP responsibilities and take-down notice procedures. Water Security & El Niño Preparedness: The AU calls for stronger preparedness for the 2026/2027 El Niño, warning of droughts, floods, heatwaves, and knock-on risks to food, water, health, and stability. Health Systems: Ethiopia calls for stronger African cooperation to tackle rising cardiovascular disease burdens through prevention, early detection, and improved access to quality care. Aviation Infrastructure: Ethiopian Airlines delays contractor selection for Bishoftu International Airport to early 2027 as bidders seek more time to secure financing.

AUSSOM Security: Ethiopia reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to Somalia’s peace and stability at an AUSSOM troop-contributing summit in Kampala, stressing shared responsibility to protect hard-won gains in the fight against terrorism. El Niño Preparedness: The African Union urged stronger continental readiness for the projected 2026/2027 El Niño—forecast as the strongest since 1950—warning of droughts, floods, heatwaves, water stress, disease risks, and knock-on impacts for food security and livelihoods. Green Transformation Leadership: Ethiopia’s Deputy PM said the country is investing in a new generation of leaders to drive green transformation, linking agriculture innovation, climate resilience, renewable energy, and sustainable development. Red Sea Shipping Disruption: State-owned ESL said it is monitoring Red Sea security risks and weighing rerouting or feeder services to keep Ethiopian cargo moving as Middle East tensions disrupt shipping. Ancient Farming Clue: A study on 2,000-year-old grapevines in Ethiopia’s Tigray suggests some vines may trace back to the Aksumite Kingdom, highlighting a living agricultural legacy. Water Stress in the Region: Reports from Eritrea’s capital Asmara described chronic water shortages shaping daily life, with households rationing and buying costly tanker water.

Climate Risk Prep: The African Union is warning that the 2026/2027 El Niño could be the strongest since 1950, with droughts, floods, heatwaves, water stress, disease outbreaks and food insecurity likely—urging countries to act now at national, regional and continental levels. Regional Water Hardship: Reporting from Eritrea’s capital Asmara shows chronic water shortages are becoming normalized for households, with families buying costly tanker water and rationing daily life. Cyber & Telecom Security: Kaspersky says a new Mirage Kitten malware set (including NightLedger) has targeted organizations across the Middle East and Africa, naming telecommunications entities in Ethiopia among victims. Ethiopia–Rwanda Cooperation: Ethiopia and Rwanda pledged deeper ties, including health collaboration (students in Ethiopian programs) and training links, alongside broader goals for African unity and integration. Bilateral Trade Push: Ethiopia and Canada are moving toward more direct trade and investment to help Ethiopian exports reach Canada without intermediaries. Environment Governance Watch: Greenpeace Africa says it may pursue legal action over Kenya’s planned Dangote Lamu refinery, arguing approvals and public participation may have fallen short of environmental requirements.

Climate Risk & Water: The AU urged stronger preparedness for the likely 2026 El Niño, warning of heatwaves, farm disruption, water scarcity and disease risks across Africa. Local Water Stress: Eritrea’s capital Asmara is seeing chronic shortages that families cope with by buying costly tanker water and rationing daily needs. Ethiopia’s Climate Tech: Ethiopia is expanding meteorological and early-warning capacity through cooperation with China, aiming for more accurate weather and climate services. Green Legacy Science: Peer-reviewed studies say Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is boosting forest cover, cooling local areas and strengthening community engagement, with reported high seedling survival in southern regions. Finance for Recovery: The Development Bank of Ethiopia will disburse €31m in soft loans for micro, small and medium enterprises in conflict-affected Afar, Amhara and Tigray, prioritizing women and youth. Nature & Food Security: A partnership helped harvest the first cultivated enset in Kenya, highlighting the drought-resilient crop’s potential to support food systems beyond Ethiopia.

Green Legacy Initiative: Peer-reviewed studies published in 2026 say Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative is delivering measurable forest restoration and climate mitigation, including an 80% seedling survival rate in Southern Ethiopia, with researchers linking success to scientific forestry and community training. Meteorology & early warning: Ethiopia is deepening cooperation with China to strengthen meteorological and early-warning systems, boosting local capacity to improve weather and climate information for socioeconomic planning. Concessional finance for conflict-affected MSMEs: The Development Bank of Ethiopia will disburse a €31m soft-loan credit line (EU/KfW-backed) to micro, small and medium enterprises in Afar, Amhara and Tigray, prioritizing women- and youth-led businesses. Digital growth with AI: Safaricom Ethiopia reports 14.7m active customers and is investing billions to embed AI across services like mobile money, healthcare, streaming, and payments. Water research in the region: A World Public Summit roundtable in Addis Ababa highlighted a new international Zambezi River study focused on livelihoods, ecosystems, and cultural heritage, calling for stronger regional science and partnerships. Education policy: Ethiopia’s Ministry of Education plans to introduce Chinese as a foreign language across tertiary institutions, building on earlier Mandarin pilots.

Enset for Food Security: Researchers in Kenya harvested the first cultivated enset for human consumption on Kenyan soil, a drought-resilient “tree against hunger” long grown in Ethiopia, with nutrition and food-safety analysis underway and leaves/trunk fiber planned for local use. COP32 Planning in Addis Ababa: Ethiopia is pushing to make COP32 deliver real climate action, with calls to start now on the finance and policy architecture needed for faster, scaled results. Water, Sanitation, and AU Priorities: The AU Executive Council session in Addis Ababa focused on sustainable water availability and safely managed sanitation, alongside broader development and financing reforms. Zambezi River Research Momentum: A major transboundary Zambezi study launched in Ethiopia aims to link livelihoods, culture, and ecosystem protection across multiple countries through stronger science and regional cooperation. Health Financing Reform: Ethiopia and UNECA agreed to strengthen collaboration under the Transforming Health Financing in Africa Initiative, targeting sustainable, innovative health financing reforms. Climate Risk for Agriculture: El Niño conditions are strengthening, with eastern Horn impacts including flooding risk and western areas facing drier rains that could cut crop production. Water Access Crisis: UN officials warned that hundreds of millions of Africans still lack safe drinking water and sanitation, urging integrated planning and stronger domestic financing.

COP32 planning: Ethiopia is pushing to make COP32 in Addis Ababa a summit that delivers, with calls to start groundwork now rather than rely on last-minute pledges. Water & sanitation focus at AU: The 49th AU Executive Council session in Addis Ababa centered on “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safely Managed Sanitation Systems,” with ministers also discussing sustainable financing and integration priorities. Health financing reforms: Ethiopia and UNECA agreed to strengthen the Transforming Health Financing in Africa Initiative, aiming to boost domestic resource mobilization and innovative, fiscally sustainable health funding. Climate risk signals: New reporting warns El Niño could worsen drought and flooding patterns across Eastern Africa, including western Ethiopia, raising food insecurity risks. Green Legacy push: PM Abiy urged Ethiopians to prepare for planting 800 million tree seedlings in a single day as part of the Green Legacy Initiative. Clean water access gap: UN officials said hundreds of millions of Africans still lack basic drinking water and safely managed sanitation, linking climate shocks to rising development costs. Green economy finance: The Development Bank of Ethiopia, with EU and KfW support, is set to provide €31m in low-interest loans for MSMEs in conflict-affected regions, prioritizing women and youth.

Green Legacy Push: Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged Ethiopians to unite for a historic one-day planting drive of 800 million tree seedlings, saying only five days remain—framing it as a climate resilience and sustainable development milestone under the Green Legacy Initiative. Water & Food Stress in the Horn: A sudden drop in Nile water levels in Sudan is sparking debate over water management and coordination, with concerns for drinking water and the 2026 agricultural season as war weakens institutions. AU Water Agenda: The 49th AU Executive Council opened in Addis Ababa under a theme focused on sustainable water availability and safe sanitation, with leaders warning that global uncertainty and regional tensions are complicating Africa’s policy response. Climate-Linked Livelihood Pressure: Reporting from the Kenya–Ethiopia border highlights how drought and erratic conditions are pushing pastoralists toward shared, shrinking watering points—turning climate into the main threat to survival. Regional Food Security Shock: Uganda’s worst drought in decades is driving acute hunger in Karamoja, with emergency food distribution underway as malnutrition risks rise.

AU Executive Council Water Agenda: The 49th AU Executive Council opened in Addis Ababa under “Assuring Sustainable Water Availability and Safe Sanitation Systems to Achieve Agenda 2063,” with AU leaders warning that conflict and climate shocks are worsening Africa’s water and sanitation pressures. Nile Basin Tensions: A sharp drop in Sudan’s Nile levels has reignited debate over water management across the basin, with experts pointing to reservoir operations, data-sharing gaps, and how releases from Ethiopia’s GERD may not have matched Sudan’s needs. Climate Stress on Livestock: Along the Kenya–Ethiopia border, pastoralists describe climate-driven drought and erratic conditions shrinking watering points, pushing communities into riskier cross-border movement. Heat Impacts on Camels: Reports from the region also highlight rising camel deaths as temperatures surge past 50C, stressing how heat stress and feed shortages compound drought losses. Energy Access & Waste Solutions: Separate coverage spotlights solar mini-grids for rural electrification and biogas as a way to cut methane from waste while reducing deforestation pressures from firewood and charcoal. Ethiopia Food Gains: Ethiopia’s “Bounty of Basket” initiative is credited with boosting household food security and output in poultry and eggs through community-led modernization. Diplomacy & Trade: Ethiopia’s foreign minister held talks with Burundi, Zimbabwe and Benin, while Ethiopia and the U.S. discussed deepening investment and trade—both framed as support for sustainable development priorities.