Forest Stewardship Council, Ethio Wetlands Natural Resources Association and International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) together with Ethiopian Forestry Development Launch Ethiopia’s Interim Forest Stewardship Standard at Sheraton Addis to Drive Sustainable Forest Management.
December 2, 2024
Addis Ababa
The FSC Interim Forest Stewardship Standard for Ethiopia was officially launched at the Sheraton Addis in an event organized by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and EWNRA in collaboration with Ethiopian Forestry Development (EFD).
The launch aimed to raise awareness among a broad range of stakeholders about the value and benefits of the newly approved standard. As a locally developed yet internationally recognized forest certification tool, the standard is designed to promote sustainable forest management across Ethiopia’s forest resources.
During the event, FSC, EWNRA, INBAR and EFD emphasized the importance of adopting the standard as a critical step toward enhancing Ethiopia’s forestry sector. They called on forest managers, government agencies, businesses, development partners, and other key stakeholders to fast-track the uptake of the standard and work toward obtaining certified forests promptly.
This initiative is expected to play a significant role in ensuring sustainable practices, fostering environmental conservation, and contributing to the long-term development of Ethiopia’s forest sector.
In his opening speech of the event, his Excellency ato Kebede Yemam, Director general for Ethiopian Forest Development stated that “Ethiopia through it’s “Green Legacy” tree plantation program, has embarked up on a massive plantation since 2019 indicating that the nation has managed to plant near to 40 billion tree, fruit and agroforestry plants. Ethiopia targets to plant 50 billion seedlings by 2025.
FSC coordinator for Eastern Africa, Annah Agasha has explained in her remarks that the FSC standard mentioned that the process of FSC standard for Ethiopia will have multiple implications for the protection of Ethiopian forest.
