May 17 , 2026
Ethiopia and Italy have signed a €5 million grant agreement to finance the Qebena Tributaries Riverside Development Project in Addis Abeba. Signed on May 14, 2026, the project will be implemented over 24 months under the Addis Abeba Urban Beautification and Greenery Development Bureau. The initiative focuses on restoring two heavily polluted tributaries of the Qebena River in Yeka Sub-city through sewer line construction, stormwater drainage systems, and riverbank protection works. It also includes the creation of a riparian buffer zone with native vegetation and community spaces, aimed at reducing pollution, controlling erosion, and improving urban environmental resilience.