AMN PLUS-November 2, 2026
Addis Ababa Mayor Adanech Abiebie announced this afternoon in a message posted on her official social media platforms that the Bole Shubu Ejersa Integrated Residential Village has been handed over to residents displaced by development projects in the area.
The mayor stated that the primary objective of urban development is not merely to build infrastructure but also to improve citizens’ living conditions, protect their rights and interests, and create better livelihood opportunities.
The Artificial Intelligence (AI) University under construction in Addis Ababa is a major national project expected to accelerate Ethiopia’s technological and economic development. However, recognizing that the project affects farmers who previously used the land for farming, grazing and residential purposes, the city administration has given special attention to ensuring that they benefit from development rather than suffer its consequences, she noted.
Accordingly, the administration constructed an integrated residential village for farmers from Bole Shubu Ejersa who were displaced from their agricultural and residential land to make way for the AI University project. The village also includes facilities designed to improve their livelihoods and expand their sources of income.
The initiative represents a people-centered approach to development that preserves residents’ social ties while helping them transition to better living conditions, the mayor stated.
In addition to residential houses, the village includes facilities such as livestock sheds for dairy cows, an animal-feed processing facility, commercial shops, a product distribution and sales warehouse, flour mills, a sports ground, a children’s playground and daycare center, and a meeting hall.
These facilities are intended to provide residents with better living conditions, help them expand dairy production and other income-generating activities, preserve their social connections, and ensure a suitable environment for their children.
The mayor emphasized that development means more than relocating people from their existing homes. It also entails improving their living standards, strengthening their economic capacity, and enhancing their prospects for the future.
According to Adanech, when the administration explained the national significance of the project to local residents, they voluntarily cooperated after understanding that the university would create educational opportunities for their children and strengthen Ethiopia’s competitiveness internationally.
She expressed gratitude to the residents for their cooperation, noting that their contribution deserved recognition and respect.
The initiative demonstrates that working together through cooperation and the spirit of Medemer can ensure that all parties benefit from development and help achieve sustainable outcomes, the mayor said.
She described the Bole Shubu Ejersa residential village as a practical example of the city administration’s people-centered development approach.
Adanech reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to building an Addis Ababa that protects the dignity, rights and interests of all its residents and ensures that everyone benefits equally from development.
The mayor also expressed appreciation to the Bole Sub-City administration and all those who contributed to the implementation of the project.
By Leta Teresa
