Addis Ababa: Solving the Ethiopian capital’s ‘crazy’ housing problem
By Amir Daftari, CNN
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (CNN)Whether it’s paving, construction or big-time infrastructure projects, Addis Ababa is growing fast.
High-end apartments and glass-fronted buildings stand where informal shacks once stood. A new metro line cuts through the heart of the city while the number of people living within its boundaries has reached 3.2 million, according to the CIA World Factbook.
But with rapid progress comes a host of new challenges.
Among the most pressing is where to fit all the new residents keen to take part in the city’s economic success. According to the 2015 Knight Frank wealth report, Addis Ababa is currently growing at 3.8% per year.
“One of the critical challenges to the government is the lack of housing in Addis Ababa,” said Teklu Fikru, deputy general manager of local government run Housing Project Office.
The “problem is very crazy,” he noted. “Infrastructure is not sufficient” he said, adding that many existing homes which were built informally are “becoming slums.”
Source: CNN
