The Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed has a launched a crowdfunding campaign with the aim of making capital city Addis Ababa a site for urban tourism.
The campaign tagged “Dine for Sheger” (Sheger is a moniker for the capital city) will see the city get a new green outlook by developing greener spaces along a 56km river stream.
The three-year project seeks the support of individuals, local and global businesses, international organizations, and members of the diplomatic corps.
Also, the initiative will also help alleviate the crisis of flooding at the riverbanks, carve out bicycle paths and walkways, and cultivate a green economy that would make the city more competitive.
As part of lined up activities to initiate the project, the Prime Minister will host a dinner at a cost of 5 million birr per plate—or $175,000.
Also, there are rewards for donors as Abiy has promised to have their names engraved on plaques which will be placed along the river routes and a private photo-op with Abiy himself.
According to Quartz Africa, the event is symbolic of the many ways Abiy, who rose to power a year ago, is trying to change Ethiopia’s strategic importance both globally and in the Horn of Africa. The choice of Addis Ababa is also critical, given how much the federal capital was at the heart of the anti-government protests that eventually led to the resignation of ex-PM Hailemariam Desalegn and launched Abiy to power. Since taking the mantle, the 42-year-old has preached the philosophy of “medemer,” or unity, in contrast to the ethnic compartmentalization that has plagued the Horn of African nation for decades.
The green initiative could prove transformative for Addis Ababa, one of Africa’s largest and storied cities. The city has a huge diplomatic presence and is home to both the headquarters of the African Union and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
Jonathan Tadese, a US-based Ethiopian strategy consultant says “a lot of organizations and individuals would be interested” given the kind of opportunities it will open up for the city and its people at this crucial juncture. So far, Abiy’s plan has found a hearty supporter: during a visit, this past weekend, Kenya’s president Uhuru Kenyatta said Kenyan companies will contribute to the “Dine for Sheger” fundraiser.
