Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to participate in the official launch of that country’s Green Legacy Programme, a flagship environmental initiative.

This is contained in a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice-President, Stanley Nkwocha, on Thursday.

Mr Nkwocha said the Vice President, on arrival, was received at the airport by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, Gedion Timothewos, and other members of the Ethiopian and Nigerian diplomatic corps.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the visit is on an official state invitation of the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Abiy Ali.

NAN also reports that the programme was designed to combat deforestation, enhance biodiversity, and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change in the country.

It targets the planting of 20 billion tree seedlings over a four-year period.

(NAN)