Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa (Amharic አዲስ አበባ, "new flower") is the capital city of Ethiopia. As a chartered city (astedader akabibi), Addis Ababa has the status of both a city and a state. The city has as many as 80 nationalities speaking 80 languages, and Christian and Muslim communities. Addis Ababa is located about 2,500m above sea level at {{coor d|9.03|N|38.74|E|city(2757729)}}). http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/cntry_files.htmlhttp://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1120021314&men=gpro&lng=en&gln=xx&dat=32&geo=-73&srt=npan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=&geo=356529874 As of 2005, the estimated population is 2,757,729 http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=1120021314&men=gpro&lng=en&gln=xx&dat=32&geo=-73&srt=npan&col=aohdq&pt=c&va=&geo=356529874, making it by far the nation's largest city.

Recent developments

One of the recent changes to the city’s history started with the appointment of Arkebe Oqubay, a top-level member of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), as mayor since early 2003. Though his appointment was initially criticized as being politically motivated, many of those critics and city residents now welcome the changes he has implemented, citing improved services.

Related Topics:
Arkebe Oqubay - Tigrayan People's Liberation Front - 2003

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

While he was not unanimously popular, the mayor has made many changes including reducing the number of civil servants and levels of bureaucracy, which in the past had been a big complaint by residents. Following these changes, Addis Ababa now consists of 10 municipalities, each representing around 400,000 inhabitants; 90 percent of services are provided at the municipality level or lower.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In recent years, the city has also seen the streamlining of its bureaucracy. The waiting time for birth and marriage certificates, for example, has been cut from three weeks to a one-stop service of thirty minutes; tax registration, from six months to one hour; land registration from three years to eight days. Residents of the city have welcomed these changes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Unemployment is still the biggest economic challenge of the city, with the current rate standing at 42 per cent, and 60 per cent of employment classified "informal." Similar to efforts made at the federal level, tax revenue has risen from $100 million to $200 million, but is still short of the $500 million target. This is widely blamed on corruption and, in part, to the lack of tax collection systems in the city. The city's practice of acquiring properties through condemnation, then paying the owners inadequate compensation while the properties were leased out to developers at very high rates, caused a backlash among voters in the capital against the mayor and the EPRDF. This, coupled with the high unemployment and a desire for change cost the EPRDF a great deal in the elections of May 2005 in Addis Ababa. The city voted out the ruling party, and not a single government party member was voted into the regional government or to represent it in parliament. The Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) swept all the votes of Addis Ababa.

Related Topics:
EPRDF - Coalition for Unity and Democracy

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Addis Ababa is surrounded by the Oromia Regional State, and served as the regional capital until 2004, when the organs of the Oromia government were moved to Adama, also known as Nazret. Addis Ababa had served as the seat of the Oromia Regional state government, but as the Federal Capital the city is administered as a separate Autonomous Regional State, and was never administered as part of Oromia. These moves have been controversial, as critics claimed that the Ethiopian government wished to deemphasize Addis Ababa's location within Oromia, and to foment trouble between Oromos and the Amhara, Gurage and other ethnicities that dominate Addis Ababa's population.http://www.sidamaconcern.com/books/ethiopia_a_new_start.html,http://oromostudies.org/lettertoUNSecretaryGeneral.htm

Related Topics:
Oromia - Adama

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

On June 10, 2005, the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization (OPDO), part of the ruling EPRDF coalition, officially announced plans to move the regional capital back to Addis Ababa.http://www.waltainfo.com/ennews/2005/jun/10jun05/jun10e14.htm,http://www.waltainfo.com/ennews/2005/jun/15jun05/jun15e3.htm,http://www.waltainfo.com/ennews/2005/jun/14jun05/jun14e11.htm

Related Topics:
June 10 - 2005 - Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization - EPRDF

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~