The articles presented in this issue of the journal are the result of an extraordinary collaboration that began more than a decade ago among faculty at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, the Addis Ababa University School of Medicine, and pulmonary and critical care physicians from several medical schools and academic medical centers in the United States and Europe. This collaboration, known as the East African Training Initiative in Pulmonary Medicine (EATI), has fostered the development of the first generation of pulmonary physicians in Ethiopia.

EATI has led to the establishment of a robust infrastructure for clinical training in pulmonary and critical care medicine; supported the creation of the Ethiopian Thoracic Society (ETS)—now a major force for continuing medical education and national advocacy on lung health issues, including tobacco control and Ethiopia’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic; and promoted research in pulmonary and critical care topics relevant to Ethiopian patients. Many physicians trained through EATI and now leading ETS have presented their work at major international scientific meetings and routinely participate in international research collaborations, training programs, and policy forums.