A Chinese firm took over the construction of the Addis Abeba Riverside Development Project, which was awarded to Geom Luigi Varnero seven months ago.

First Highway Engineering Group, a subsidiary of the behemoth China Communication Construction Corporation, will construct a central square on 48ha of land and rehabilitate and treat 12Km of riverside that runs from Entoto mountain to Peacock Park for 50 million dollars. The Chinese government financed the project.

The project that First Highway Engineering secured is part of the overall rehabilitation of riverbanks that covers 54Km of riversides along two rivers that cross the city. The river starts from Entoto mountain and runs to a river at Aqaqi Qality. The project is expected to cost an estimated one billion dollars.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and Chinese ambassador Tan Jian, alongside Ahmed Shide, minister of Finance, and Takele Uma, deputy mayor of Addis Abeba, launched the project early last week.

The portion that the Chinese company was awarded has two phases and will open jobs for 300 management staff.

The first phase includes the development of a core area of a central square on 32ha of land and 1.2Km of riverside development. This segment is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2020.

The second phase comprises the construction of the central park on the same land. This section is planned to be completed in the second quarter of 2021.

The whole central square will have three structures: a central axis of etiquette, an active waterfall belt and a cluster of three gardens.

The central axis of etiquette includes a central rally plaza, a lakeside fountain, a music square and an artificial pond. An active waterfall belt will be build during the first phase on the Banteyiketu River and riverside development project, which involves cleaning the water, replanting lush riverbanks and landscaping beautiful scenery. The three gardens are the second phase of the central plaza project and will comprise a children's paradise, an art garden and a centre for science and technology.

The three-year Beautifying Sheger Project was announced last year by the Prime Minister with the main aim of elevating the city's status to one of urban tourism and at the same time rehabilitating two riverbanks.

As a pilot project, a one-kilometre project that includes roads, playgrounds, sports fields, shops, bicycle paths, walkways and entertainment facilities was awarded to Varnero for 2.5 billion Br out of the city's budget. Deputy Mayor Takele Uma attended the inauguration ceremony earlier this year.

After the awarding letter, the company began construction before signing a contractual agreement, since authorities asked it to begin work as early as possible.