Addis Abeba has completed 59Km of river cleanup and development work, although total coverage has yet to reach 50pc. Mayor Adanech Abebe said the 59Km stretch was transformed in one and a half years as she presented a comprehensive review of the city's strategic plan from 2022 to 2026. Mayor Abebe described the progress as a major "breakthrough", saying the work relied entirely on the city's funding, engineers, architects and workers. By comparison, she said, a world-renowned foreign contractor had completed only two kilometres of riverbank work over five years. The initiative seeks to reclaim rivers that were major sources of pollution and disease and turn them into clean, vibrant public spaces. Mayor Abebe presented the restoration programme as a cornerstone of efforts to make Addis Abeba a "Beautiful Flower". She reported that green coverage rose from 2.8pc to 24pc during the review period, contributing to the city's achievement of 96pc of its five-year strategic targets. The Mayor also reported changes in urban living conditions. She said shanty or slum areas declined from 70pc of the city to 30pc, while 60pc of mud-walled houses were renovated or replaced. The city also established 30 feeding centres and 1,100 public daycare centres as part of what she described as a people-centred development programme supporting vulnerable residents. Despite the reported gains, Mayor Abebe acknowledged that substantial work remains. She committed the city's leadership to a 24/7 work culture to address the remaining 30pc of slum areas and 40pc of mud-walled houses.

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