So Much Construction

One of the most stunning things about the capital of Ethiopia is the omnipresence of huge construction projects.  In 2006, Addis Ababa ranked as the world’s 31st fastest growing city in the world.  The country consumes some 3 million tons of cement per year.  According to The Economist, Ethiopia’s economy will be the 5th fastest growing economy in 2010.

A lot of work is going into imagining Addis Ababa’s future.  This display by Sunshine Construction in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel is one example.  I was surprised to find the trade magazine Construction Ahead for sale among the limited selection of magazine at the Lime Tree Cafe’s Book World shop, a popular ex-pat hang out.

The city is going through an intense period of urbanization.  China is investing in the construction of roads.  I’ve noticed commentary about Addis being relatively free of beggars in the past, a condition which is certainly not the case now, as I’ve noted earlier.  How will all these changes impact the majority of residents in the capital?  Wikipedia’s entry on Ethiopia cites that 55% of Addis’s residents live in slums and only 12% of homes have tile or concrete flooring.  If the word on the street is true, that all the units in the huge housing complexes under construction have already been purchased by Ethiopians living abroad, this construction boom in unlikely to relieve the housing shortage.  Some articles in the current issue of Construction Ahead stress the need to focus on long term development in place of short term profit.  Everyone seems poised to see how these familiar trends in urbanization will continue to play out for Addis Ababa.