City Planning?

Addis is very different from any place that I have visited before. Before I came, I knew that it was the headquarters of the AU, UNECA, etc., and hosted many important conferences. I was shocked to discover that the area around the UN compound was in such disrepair. I have also never seen so much construction. I’m still not sure what is going to fill all of these buildings, but hopefully I will figure that out while I’m here. I know that Addis is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa, but many of the completed buildings seem to be empty. 

Also different from other cities I have visited in Africa is that there is informal housing (i.e. shacks) right next to 5 star hotels. There doesn’t appear to be much segregation throughout the city. I’m clearly not opposed to this, but it’s an interesting mix which creates a number of challenges. When I mentioned this to my mom, she replied, “well at least the British were good city planners.”  Very good point, mom. Apparently the Ethiopian government has pushed a lot of people out of certain areas to make way for new buildings, etc., but clearly not with the same vigor as some African governments. I'm interested to learn more about the history of Addis to better understand why it is set up the way it is and how it has evolved over time.