I get asked if I am coming home for the Millennium from friends in Ethiopia and here. Someone in our Bernos family also asked. I had to cancel my trip because Sheraton is booked during my 3 weeks vacation there. 'Keld' aside, when I got pix of the Gotera Bypass Bridge (night view) plan last week, my initial reaction was ‘this can't be real?’
I was thinking may be a 'Nolawi' edited the picture he took during his ETA takeoff from DC over the picture he took while in Addis. I found out it was for real thru 'Gul'golla'. The search also led me to another millennium gift for Addis – the ten-story Intercontinental Hotel which will have 151 rooms and suites, a tenth-floor swimming pool, restaurants, disco, gyms, sauna and transparent elevators from where you can admire the korkoro meret lines down below.
Move over Sheraton!"
One more place for non-resident Abeshas to show off what they have accomplished or a resort where they can leave home without leaving home.
If you lived in the Gotera neighborhood, I could picture you clicking on 'zoom in' ten times only to find out barring 'Chemir's Suq' all the houses you could recognize are replaced by tar. If your house was in one of those famed Chirkos gibi, imagine how many your neighboring 'Mamushes' and 'Mimis' are displaced to make way for China oops I mean to improve the infrastructure of our Addis Ababa. I wonder if these developments are beneficial for our country, how it would affect the City-Country dynamics?
for image use please link please credit source!
Published by December 5th, 2006 in Current Issues.
Adey, Just looking at this picture I must say, “hodE bAbA I am already home sick and now you gave me what we call back where I come from “beNQirT Laay joRo deGiF” These plans are certainly beneficial to the country. Did you know that in most parts of Ethiopia, if you decide to build an infrastructure, you must first build separate homes for the displaced people to live-in before you start with your own project? I thought that was thought-full by the government. But I can’t wait to drive my 1993 chevy on that beautiful road. That picture in addition to most other things confirms my decission to return to the mother-land. You’all should think about doing the same. YOU ARE NOW FREE TO SAY….”MENGEDU MENGED NEEW”
Thanks Adey,
No didn’t photoshop the above image!
it looks good though… the chinese are good with computers too… I’m serious chinese art is amazing….
anyways a new better hotel… now we might have to change the joke whatsupoch be sheraton yemilew joke upgrade medereg alebet…
you know hilton was the shit when I was there… and hilton swimmers would look down upon ghion swimmers
NOW THERE IS GOING TO BE FOUR LEVELS OF LOOKING DOWN UPON
i will get back to you with the answer to the main question
How it it not e beneficial to the country… its good for the economy!
I say progress is always good as long as, in the name of progress, the well being of the area residents is not overlooked. The city belongs to all Ethiopians, to both the poor and the wealthy. Whatever progress is being made has to benefit everyone.
On a side note, I have heard negative comments about the roads the Chinese are building in Ethiopia, including the existing ring road. From my understanding, it gets flooded when there is heavy rain, which makes it a safety hazard.
I was recently in Addis and I would have to agree on Lulu’s Sidenote reagrding flooding!
The ring road although impressive looking is a peice of cartoon!
If any of you go to Ethiopia for the Millenium, I hope you go touring the country (both South and North). You can do it thru travel agencies that arrange your accomodations, car rental, … or on your own. I also hear there are great eco-lodges around Langano Wenney and Bishangary that people are raving about.
Chelema how could you be home sick with the above Chinese prediction.Nolawi could do that with his paint brush ? It is obvious that it will not even be close to what it looks, they are just trying doing it to win the bid and make their money. Anyways, it is good for Addis. Hey check this real website and tell me how home sick you’re going to be. Me and my boy were screaming as if we were home, in the near future we might be able to see in real time. In fact, I saw the swimming pool in the palace, my dog house, the new airport…It is really interesting check it out.
http://www.ethioportal.com/images/Addis_Map.htm
BTW, Sheraton, It just get me on my last nerve, when a person say “I have been chilling in Sheraton the whole time I was there”, “Why does a poor country needs a hotel like this?”bla…bla..bla… Hellooooooo first of all, who ever goes from here might afford it after saving 2 years working 16 hours a day or living in…I am not even going to go there where/how they get the money…and I hate when they come and tell me that they had fun in Sheraton. I have one question for those people. Have you seen or spend a night in 5 star luxury resort hotel or high roller Vegas Suite…I can go on and on….Please don’t try to manegeb when you come back. Most probably people who do that didn’t even afford to go to tayetu hotel back in a days, let alone ghion or Hilton membership. Beside that I am all for the new International hotel that Nolawi is talking about, it is good for the economy and it opens job for the people. Last but not least, all those expensive hotels are not for majority ethio people it is for the diplomats, UN employees and the foreigners that go there for business. I remember when I was first sent on business trip to London(i.e from Ethiopia) my per diem was 110 pounds a day, imagine that. So it is just nothing for them. I wish I could go and I would be having fun in kebele draft bet, tije bet, chat bet…to fill the real Ethiopia flavor.
Peace, God Bless
I will answer that question when I get back from Addis in Mid January Adey….Everybody says things have changed in Ethiopia espcially Addis….I can’t wait to go and see all the changes in 8 yrs since I left….and I will answer your question then
Talking about the Chinese doing business in Ethiopia…the following maybe unrelated to the current topic, but I thought some of you might find it interesting. It was copied from an article that appeared on the Times Online. You will find the entire article at:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2271971,00.html.
It just makes me wonder how far the development of Ethiopia will go with the help of the Chinese.
“Chinese goods sent to Africa are notorious for their poor quality. None of a shipment of 50 buses to Zimbabwe is still working and an order for 250 more has been suspended.
Of three MA60 passenger jets the Chinese sent to Mugabe, one has never managed to fly, one had to make an emergency landing at Victoria Falls, injuring many passengers, and the third caught fire on take-off in Harare last week. All are now grounded.
Moreover, as Eldred Masunungure, professor of political science at Harare University, puts it: “The resentment of the Chinese is not only widespread, it’s deeply rooted.”
The Chinese are generally viewed as loud, uncouth, prone to spitting and openly derogatory towards Africans. Worse, the copper mines they have opened up in Zambia and Zimbabwe are renowned for low wages, ferocious labour discipline and a sky-high accident rate. “That’s how they run things at home, after all — and on top of that, they despise blacks,” said one Zimbabwean engineer.”
About going off the beaten Ethio-American tracks of the Sheratons & Kaldis, those of you going home for the millenia will find out that those black circles don’t mean much if you brave it South of Langano. I was repeatedly referred to as a foreigner and I am not a latte by any stretch..
You are right Lulu..here is what I read about this particular project .. “The week long demolition process needed to begin the Project turned sour when three workers died after being crushed by rocks that collapsed on them while demolishing the former Wereimano Hotel”.
The gift of 96mill to build this bypass seems like the blackberry leash of the corporate world (“The construction cost amounting 96,117,425 birr would be covered by the Chinese government while the Addis Ababa City Administration shall pay the compensation for those families who would be relocated ..”).
I agree any infrustacture would be beneficial, but I would be leery of any gift be it $96 or $96 mill.
I am really impressed by the design rendering of the project. Now the question is will the finished product really look the same or will this be a bait and switch tactic ? I suppose time will tell.
Regardless, I believe we are seeing a changing city. I know everything comes at a cost such as the forced relocation and displacement of neighborhoods. I think at the end of the day if it is all done in a fare and equitable way it will ultimately be for the benefit of the country.
My base for this argument is based on simple economics. In Ethiopia according to some research paper I read roads are the primary means of transport for 93 percent of freight and 95 percent of passengers. I also recall reading an article which I can not locate now that indicate due to the poor infrastructure in the country the cost of internal transportation of goods in is something like 53 cents (the number is from memory so it may be of slightly) on the dollar compared to five cents on the dollar in China. That blows our competitiveness out of the water. Thus I am all for building infrastructure.
Some argue if the government should have the power to force relocation to expand economic interest and or infrastructure. I feel the government should be able to have that power so long as I have said earlier it is done in fare and equitable manor.
Even here in the US the government has the power to force the sell of private property if the state deemed it necessary for economic development. Recently the US Supreme Court has ruled on such matter.
In the long run I have a feeling the city-urban dynamic will change with the city extending to the country until such time there is a balance. That I think will be unavoidable.
OK guys, to answer the question
I think Adey referred to it somewhat on her article that the peasants of Addis are the losers here… how are they relocated… is the relocation reparations minamin?
gin this again goes back to population… the population of addis blew up more so than the population of ethiopia…
so infrastructure is surely beneficial to Ethiopias Economy.. but the money would have helped the economy more so if it was invested on Population control…
how ironic that the chinese economy blew up starting 1980 till 2006 and more.. the yr after population control was implemented…
read my article on carpe regarding this
This is the first I’m seeing/hearing of this proposed plan. What I’ve learned on Bernos…
On my 2005 trip to Addis I was totally and completely surprised. Although I had heard all the stories I was not prepared to see the amazing designs of buildings and homes that were constructed. I guess I was expecting the image I left with many moons ago.
As far as the Sheraton, it definitely needs a competition. It is totally and completely over rated. I went there only on New year’s eve and was not at all impressed. If you’ve seen one 5 star hotel you’ve seen them all. Also how often do we actually spend 400 us dollars per night, on a hotel, while on vacation? So why start in Addis support the smaller hotels.
I am looking forward to the Millennium in Addis, if I make it.
I actually agree with what you said, kilomamo…
In too many African nations, poor or non-existent infra-structure blocks the path out of poverty. Today an entrepreneur in Ethiopia pays roughly three times what his Chinese counterpart pays to transport a container the same distance and the odds are that he has to transport his goods a good deal further than his Chinese competitor. For that entrepreneur, the path out of poverty is literally a paved road.
In my judgment improving the roads and its infrastructure is closely linked to poverty reduction. For example the vastness of agricultural production is by small-scale rural farmers but as we all know the main market is located far from the producers. So improved road infrastructure actually plays an important role in the fight against poverty, it also allows the opening of isolated areas and for gradual social integration of isolated populations.
what is the source of the photo? Nice blog.
Its pretty stupid when these people who work at 7 eleven go to Ethiopia and then manejeb.. I am from friken America… and I stay in fricken Sheraton…. Fricken village, fricken Farawoch nachew…
Where is the Intercontinental Hotel? Is it the one the Fantu grocery people are buliding???
How about we demolish Sheraton and the big Bole Medhanalem and build low income condos in their place. Who is with me?
Anyways, I think this huge investment on the roads of Addis is shortsighted and stupid. World’s oil reserves are slowly depleting. Therefore price of oil has no where to go but up. The century of making it big with cheap oil is over and we have missed our chance. And now if we invest in a car-centric urban development then by the time we are done with all the improving only a handful of bole-woch will afford to drive on them streets.
It is already happening. While I was there just last September I learned that as gas gets more and more expensive (8birr plus per litter : that is $3.50 to $4.00 per gallon) a lot of ppl who have cars now can’t afford them and are using mini-buses. And as minibuses increase their price, regular riders are abandoning them for already over crowded Ambesa buses. It is a huge crisis in the making.
The best way to solve this problem in my opinion is to investing on public and alternative means of transportation. Invest on bike factories, and mend the roads to accommodate them, bring in cleaner buses instead of demolishing vast tracts of residential areas and dislocating thousands of ppl. We have been far trailing civilization for a while in futility, why don’t we do something different for a change?
Besides somebody needs to stand up for the environment in that wretched city. It is so polluted that u need a mother f*ckin gas mask to breath in that joint. I am telling I was menaFeting some dark substance a few days after I got there. So screw the grand road project in Addis and let’s go the sensible and sustainable route.
peace
Ya I too am curious Adey as to the source.. you must be well connected to receive spec photos. Seriously!
‘wish I was connected .. happens 2 b from the Ethiopian Airlines’ Selamta mag
& I am not even from Addis let alone Bole
Nyalasmoke ..you smokin’! doesn’t go with your name
adey, what do u mean? nyalasmoke doesn’t go with nyalasmoke?
Dawitk – I disagree with infrastructure blocking the path out of poverty
Take a tour of colonies of Africa to prove yourself wrong -
the paths are used to loot raw materials…
nyalasmoke, you brought up a good point. PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS THE KEY. Though I don’t particularily agree with this point…
I do however support your theory of focusing onto easier means of transportation like riding a BIKE, hopping onto a decent BUS, and taking a cab and so forth…The plan for the new infrastructure is not stupid and shortsighted, its brilliant. I hope it goes through. People are not gonna stop driving just because all of a sudden taking the BUS becomes popular or riding a bike gets sexier everyday. As long as people are driving, they’re gonna need a better road. Plus, Addis Ababa has to compete with the rest of the world interms of the availability of quality roads. You mentioned something about demolishing Sheraton and Medhanialem or something…. my question is, why in the HECK do you wanna do that? why not build the condos you’re talking about right in middle of “JaN MeDA”? the place is freaking deserted. You know what the Meles regime did when they took power, they destroyed some of history’s preserves just because they reflected Mengistu’s vision. Basically, they attempted to erase the country’s history. So I don’t particularily agree with that. As far as I am concerned, this road will give us a new way of life interms of how the rest of the world is living. It might not mean much to some people that live abroad, but it means a lot to the people living in Addis Ababa. Plus “They need another freaking highway to put on their music videos” the old one is getting t.o.o.o.o.o old. And I am getting sick of looking at the highway on every Amharic music videos. what’s up with that?
Adey, in response to post #22
If I am not mistaken, (assuming we’re talking about this road here…) One leads to Bole, the other one leads to Saris, the third one leads to QerA and the last one leads to the Stadium Area right? So whichever way they try to loot our raw materials, its gonna get caught in either one of these places. So why even worry about that? Come on guys, aren’t you excited that Addis Ababa is looking nicer and nicer every year? I only hope that we also focus on the rest of the country as well when we build new infrastructures. I am rooting for whoever is in charge of this project.
That intersection (popularly called confusion square) definetly needed to be fixed , but I am very doubtful an interchange this big is warranted considering the type of roads that it intersects. Look at the amount of space that thing takes up! Even if an interchange was warranted (as opposed to straighting the intersecting legs and using signals), there are many compact interchanges that could have been built. A majority of people still walk in Addis, and it is important to think about them too. It would have been a lot better if they consulted some Ethiopian engineers before they dropped this gift of an interchange in the middle of the city.
Chelma -I was talking about other African countries where diamond, oil, coffee, cocoa.. comes from. You never know ‘Qes beQes shereritua’ .. did you see the railway underneath? Not against the devt in Addis and elsewhere in our country just wondering out loud at what cost; after all it won’t be that bad to add Kung’pao to the >100 languages we have .. all the better if they build us a Panda Express/Chinese School for the ‘matrik- challenged’
chelema, yea it is stupid. It is almost like flushing money down the toilet but good thing toilets in Addis don’t flush. But that is beside the point. Again these grand road improvement projects in Addis are a typical case of a top down design. They are building roads for the sake of building roads, or possibly for the sake of image rather than putting the population or future trends into account. As dinnbullo put it, the vast majority of the ppl of Addis just walk and probably will never drive. Any plan that ignores that walking majority is dumb and stupid. This is simply another case of development going wrong.
U are arguing from unquestioned assumption that oil prices will at least remain the same for a long time to come. But I am arguing that it is inevitable that gas will be unaffordable by the vast majority of Ethiopians in a matter of just a few years. The tiny salaried middle class, small business and various sectors that depend on oil will cease to afford it and will eventually disappear, as they are slowly doing as we speak. Only the NGOs and the handful of rich mother f*ckers will be the ones left to trample and run over the stampeding masses with their dirty trucks and SUVs. Eventually even the ring road will be a walking lane, it has already begun.
Ok maybe not demolish, maybe we should close that fancy brothel called the Sheraton and that monster of a church building called Bole Medhanialem to house some of the poor dislocated ppl due to the dumb road project.
adey, u are right, the thousands and thousands of young ppl that are trafficked out of Ethiopia are exported out through Africa Rd.
I am with nyalasmoke on this one. We need public transportation. Europe one of the richest continent has a very efficient public transportation system. How many Addis Ababan’s own cars? Let’s not forget the majority and just focus on image. If possible have both projects go hand in hand. Image is good but not at the expenses of the poor.
Dinbulo
You know that the Chinese wouldn’t do such a thing, our own leaders should have taken the intiative to take Ethiopian’s perspective into consideration. The Chinese are notorious for building roads, dams and buildings without considering the environment and the people thus bringing about the extreme polution to their environment and obesity to their people who were once fit.
As I have said before, I am all for development and progress..having said that, what really is the purpose of building defective roads that the majority of the population is going to end up walking on? If it is about the image, will the city really look advanced and developed when cars are sharing this beautiful, expensive but defective highway with pedestrians, donkeys, sheep etc..? The image that comes to mind is the same one as the grand five star hotel, The Sheraton, surrounded by shacks. It seems so shallow.
I am with you nyalasmoke! A lot needs to be done before we get to the point where we can truly say the city is ready for such a project.
Well people, sounds like you have very strong openions about this development. But don’t you think even the public transportation methods need a quality road? Don’t you think the Donkeys deserve to walk on quality asphalt roads for a change? Hey, I don’t think anybody in here objects to the idea of placing poor people in homes, but why can’t we do both? Anyway, I understand your point, I just don’t agree with it.
Adey,
about your comments on 22 and 26. As they say “Ki-Jet ale te-be-lo sai-tegna ay-ta-de-rim”
I think infrastructure building is the basics building block for development. This is not to say it should be the only thing that needs to be done. I agree with Nolawi on his comments (posting 12) population control is also very important although I don’t agree that the money would have been better spent if it was used for population control.
As to the old African colonies example I think it is totally different in this case. We need not underestimate the mental burden of inferiority colonialism left and it is not easy to free generations that are affected by the bite. Besides we have a new far reaching form of colonization called globalization. That as the songs goes “Killing me softly with your Love” ….
like nyala said:
- low cost housing
- energy efficient public transportation
- education
- self-sufficiency
not necessarily in any particular order.
this whole catering to the top 0.01% of the country’s population with urban luxuries, spas, overprices clubs/lounges, etc … very disturbing.
i wonder what the “chechnya” residents have to say about all this …
tooth my friend, no demolition project, no deluxe lounge/spa /brothel will stop chee-chee-niya. As long there is air to breath and maybe a little bit of cheap draft, cheecheeniya residents will go on.
I agree with Chelema and Kilomamo on their last comments, but to expand on the issue
About a week or so ago I saw a movie called “Africa: Open for Business”. The movie gave me a glimpse of flourishing entrepreneurship in a continent where war, famine, natural and man-made disaster is widespread. The movie basically featured a variety of small and larger business in 10 African countries, offering an insight into the continent that is not seen very often by the rest of the world.
I see Africa as viable, a continent that have the capacity for good business, and can compete in the global economy. As a result many African countries like Ethiopia, Ghana, and S. Africa…are striving to take care of itself, to build a middle class, and to find African (Ethiopian) SOLUTIONS to African (Ethiopian) PROBLEMS, because the whole purpose is to change perceptions and encourage investment.
Africa has one of the least develop road network in the world, and Ethiopia have the lowest road density in Africa. Only 20% of the land is located within a 10km range of an all-weather road. Yet roads are the main means of transport, responsible for about 90% of all passenger and freight movement.
So to enhance Ethiopia’s business climate image, I believe we need to improve Ethiopia’s image as an investment destination and upgrading and expanding the road infrastructure should be a top priority for the government.
Last year, I was in Addis and it was funny seeing the ring road as a training ground for would be future athlethes…if you rise up early enough, you would see people use it as a training course, some even stretching and doing pushups against the curb – evidence that demand on these roads is close to zero. I wish I had my camera with me at the time. It is was funny and sad at the same time.
Dinbulo – I witnessed the same .. I volunteered to go to the airport to pick someone up at the wee hours & saw lot of Haile wannabees on the ring road..btw, he won in Japan last week for 4z1000th time ..you go bro
Comment #7, above.
Thank you very much for posting the Addis Ababa Placemarked map.
http://www.ethioportal.com/images/Addis_Map.htm
It is really amazing to see Addis Ababa from the air. I spent hours going thru the map. My heart almost dropped when I saw my house wide and clear!
My heartfelt appreciation goes to:
http://www.EthioPortal.com
for their hard work to put this map online for all of us to enjoy it.
May God bless Ethiopia (and EthioPortal, in this case)
Cheers,
Teddy
daym I cant wait to get to addis and see all this first hand! it has bee so long.. and I only have 6 months to go…
On a related development, for the question someone asked sometime somewhere on these blogs, who is coming to perform at Sheraton. Just heart Brian Mcnight on a talk show saying he will perform in Ethiopia for the ‘holidays’…
I think some people are sleeping. There is a huge condo building development going on in Ethiopia. The condos are for low -income people. As of now close to 30,000… Condoes have been built. And they are building I think 250,000 condos right now. Anybody who has been to addis can see this condo development also. Most of the people who get the condos are displaced when the road projects are going up… so both the infrastructure and the living standard of these people is improving. Most of these people didn’t have indoor plumping, but now in their condos they do. This is a great project. I just cannot wait to see it!
Oh come one EnDe YOu mus be blind! what percentage can afford a condo.. regardless of the price…
The monthly income for the average addis ababian is the same as what you would pay for one shoe shine you are used to getting!
THE PROBLEM IS YOU CANT HAVE ENOUGH LIVABLE HOUSING FOR 4 MILLION PEOPLE IN ADDIS ABABA… REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH YOU SPEND…
ITS JUST TO OVER POPULATED!
either we would have to have economy like tokyo, honk kong, kaula lampur and shanghai to build thousands and thousands of high rise condos… I think we are about 200 yrs behind those cities…
or you just have to decrease the population growth rate….
ene eko how could you all be so blind to the population problem! dont you see that is the key to a better Ethiopia…
Nolawi,
You are right about the population explosion in Addis/ Ethiopia some one has to do some serious family planning education about it. When I went there the last time about 5 years ago I thought there was “Selamawi Self” and my mom told me that it is just typical Addis crowd. And about the highrise condos with indoor plumbing, I don’t know how the water pressure is going to be sufficient to go up and anybody who has lived in Addis knows about the insuficient water pressure even to regular 1 story houses. I can imagine thousands of people going up and down their multi story condo buildings with their “Baldis” and “Jericans” because the elevators will not be working either, that is if there are any.
Mussoloni, Hitler, Stalin, Mengistu constructed also roads and big buildings. But as long as there is no peaceful transition of power, the development is not sustainable. See what happend to the roads and buildings of Bagdad. Those who are going home for Millenium, it would habe been better used their money for more constructive thing instead of showing the poor Ethiopians, how they rich they are.
koster, I don’t know about you or others, but I am not going to Ethiopia on the millennium to show the poor ethiopians how rich I am. I AM JUST GOING THERE TO PARTY. IS THAT OKAY?
thanks chelema… GREEAAAAAAAAAATTTTT!
what is wrong with partiying… IS THAT OKAY Really!
Nolawi I don’t think you have a clue what you are talking about! have you seen the Condos in Addis that is being built for the low income people? Like I said in my earlier reply, 23,000 units have been built, and right now 250,000 (count it, is a quarter million condos) are in the pipeline. The Condos are for LOW INCOME people. The government is giving them 30% toward Condo Purchase, and they have to come up with 20% as a down payment, and the rest will be a loan. In order to qualify for this program you have to be a low income resident in Addis. What the government doing right now is the correct thing, i.e first we need to clear the slums in Addis, give the residents running water, electricity, and plumbing, and build our infrastructure. Also build roads. Addis has changed drastically in the last few years for the better. In fact population control in Ethiopia shouldn’t even be an issue. Ethiopia is not over-populated nation by any stretch of the mind. Just because there is an over crowding in the urban area it doesn’t mean Ethiopia is overcrowded. Second, Ethiopia a country that is bigger than France and Spain combined together, but with a population, so I am trying to understand what formula or what statistics you used to come up with “Overpopulation” in Ethiopia.. or is it a buzz word? What is your source?
hey ende…
BUT DO I REALLY NEED STATS?
I LEFT ETHIOPIA IN 1990 THE POPULATION NUMBER WAS 51 MIL GIVE OR TAKE…
AND NOW IN 2006 78 MILL GIVE OR TAKE…
EVEN WITH 5% MARGIN OF ERROR ANY 4TH GRADER CAN TELL YOU THAT THE GROWTH OF 25% IN 15 YRS… GIVE OR TAKE.. OR
BUT WHAT DO I KNOW?
Wait a minute here. Isn’t that more like a 50% increase? Nolawi has a point here and so do you mr/ms/mrs ende. The question really should be do we have enough resources to cater for the 78 million that would otherwise be enough for the 51 million? Ethiopia may be equal to the size of France and Spain combined, but if we can’t even serve the 51 million, how in the hell are we gonna serve the 78 million? I think that’s Nolawi’s point and I tend to agree with that. But then again, as you(Ende) said, if we work hard enough to provide the basic necessities like condos for low income families (what’s a low income in Ethiopia anyway?) then things will start to get better. And it sounds like we’re moving to the right direction. But I am still wondering what income is considered low income? and if you are a low income, can you afford to come up with 20% deposit? In a simple math, if the cost of this condo is 100,000 birr, you’re asking the so called low income to come up with 20,000. They’ll tell you yeah right! if I had 20,000, I wouldn’t be a low income Just think about it. Based on that, the condos are really for high income families unless there are some other means of financial support. Just a thought.
Chelema – no disrespect intended brother…just an observation. You sound confused and don’t seem to have a clear stand. Perhaps you need to take a break from bernos.
What I am saying is Ethiopia is not over-populated. Again, Spain and France combined are smaller than Ethiopia, BUT BUT with a population that is almost twice that of Ethiopia. As Chelma pointed out we have not utlized our full resources, if we had we would find out that Ethiopia is yet to be explored and exanded. We think Ethiopia is only Addis Ababa (at least the countryside ppl) think so, therefor they migrate to Addis. I am not denying there is an overcrowding in Addis, but by any strech of the mind Ethiopia is not overpopulated. So I think it is unwise to spend our energy to control a problem that doesn’t exist yet. What we have to accomplish is build our other cities, such as Bahar Dar, Gonder, Mekele, Desse, Jimma, Nekemete, Dire Dawa, Nazreth, etc to the level of Addis, so that people don’t have to migrate to Addis to seek opportunity. I think that is being done right now, but we are very far away from hitting our goal… So projects like the road project presented here, and the Condo development projects need to be encrouged. Ethiopia is SOOOOOO HUGE, and we have not even touched 10% of it yet.. We have to expand build and get big… Here is a video of the Condo project I found…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyv11rqazQ8
do you know the difference between growth rate vs population numbers…
hence I quoted the growth rate stats….
anyone that is semi familiar with economic growth knows how those to correlate…
that is why, we use words like GDP per capita income minamin…
I do not want to argue for the sake of arguing!
lets drop this! Comments are closed for this article!