Ethiopian delegate: Addis Ababa undergoes major urban transformation

Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, has undergone a major urban transformation over the past two years, Eshetayehu Kinfu, Doctor of Engineering Sciences and Head of the Strategic Programs Office, said during an event at the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Report informs.

According to him, trillions of Ethiopian Birr have been mobilized for the city's transformation:

"Many people are aware of how Addis Ababa has undergone a major transformation in the past two years, and how successfully it has been implemented. This is a project worth about one trillion Birr, and the city administration managed to attract large-scale resources overall. The leadership successfully relocated nearly 30,000 people from transformation zones, and through various means, including public-private partnerships, we mobilized trillions of Birr. From the mayor to the lowest level of administration, all were closely involved in the transformation process. Communities were informed about the planning and engaged effectively in fulfilling their roles. Ensuring high-level participation is another step in multi-level governance."

He also highlighted how hybrid and vertical cooperation between different levels of government helped prevent crises:

"From the federal government down to the lowest level, the woreda, everyone worked hand in hand to implement this transformation. The federal government focused on strategy development and close monitoring of projects, while mezzo and micro-level actors were responsible for effective implementation. If city administrations and local governments are empowered, success is achievable."

Based on the current exchange rate, 159.75 Ethiopian birr equals 1 US dollar.