Clothes of various colours and styles greet would-be customers looking for a bargain near Ambassador Cinema at semi-permanent stalls slated for removal. Informal markets and street vendors face growing pressure from Addis Abeba’s redevelopment and government policies aimed at formalizing retail spaces. While such changes can improve infrastructure and create organized shopping districts, they often come at a cost to small vendors, whose livelihoods depend on affordable, accessible locations. These vendors are typically unable to afford rent in formal retail areas and rely on the low-cost setup of street stalls to keep prices competitive.
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