Ethiopian Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itefa (PhD) held Sunday a high-level dialogue with UN Special Advisor on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary General for Climate Action Team, Selwin Hart, UNICEF Ethiopia Deputy Representative, Mariko Kagoshima, to advance EthiopiaUN collaboration on climate action.

During their discussion, Minister Habtamu briefed the UN delegation about Ethiopias climate change mitigation efforts, focusing on such areas as generation and use of carbon free clean energy. He also mentioned the country's successful Green Legacy Initiative, the attention given to mass use of EVs in the country. 

In a bid to maximize clean energy use, the minister said, Ethiopia is also sharing to its neighbours clean electric energy at the least possible price thereby contributing to minimizing carbon emissions in the region. 

The delegation was briefed about rewarding projects by the Ministry of Water and Energy like Dam on My Yard and rural Biogas projects that have received acclamation from UNICEF representatives and other members of the delegation. The projects, particularly Dam on My Yard, have shown significant impact on health institutions and schools in arid and semiarid areas of the country. 

UNICEF is really pleased to partner with the Ministrys significant projects, said the UNICEF representative. 

UN Special Advisor on Climate Action and Assistant Secretary General for Climate Action Team Selwin Hart on his part admired Ethiopias potential for clean energy, saying Very few countries in the world have clean energy potential like Ethiopia. And he mentioned the countrys immense hydro, solar and geothermal energy potential, which amounts to 60,000 MW of power. 

The future is bright for Ethiopia and Africa, but financial architectures need to support their climate change mitigation efforts, Hart added.

The Special advisor further said Im really excited about the positive way Ethiopia is transforming the economy and clean energy. 

Despite the global geopolitical uncertainties and tensions, Hart stressed, the world still has significant reasons to support climate action.