Jigjiga, Ethiopia – The Somali Regional State Government (SRS) is actively advancing the implementation of a large-scale tree-planting campaign known as the “Green Legacy Reforestation Program.” For the Ethiopian calendar year 2017 (2025 Gregorian), the plan is to plant a total of 14 million trees across the region.

On May 25, 2025, officials from the Bureau of Environmental Protection and Rural Land Administration visited the Shabeelley Tourism Center—one of the areas where the first phase of the campaign has been successfully implemented, with 150,000 trees planted. The Bureau’s Minister, Muxyadiin Cabdi, stated that the initiative is comprehensive and targets many aspects related to the environment and rural development.

“This project is vast in scope and touches on many areas. It holds special importance for us both at the bureau and in the region. We have actively contributed to the greening phase of the campaign,” said Muxyadiin.

Preparations are currently underway for the second phase of the tree-planting project, which will see an additional 120,000 trees of various species planted at the Shabeelley site to strengthen the fight against desertification and enhance environmental sustainability.

This project is considered one of the region’s key environmental preservation strategies, aimed at protecting natural resources and promoting a greener landscape across SRS.