A public-private advisory forum on construction permit reform for the Addis Abeba City Administration was launched earlier last week. It is comprised of individuals from professional associations such as the Ethiopian Civil Engineers Association, the Ethiopian Construction Builders Association and other players from the construction industry. The forum consists of 25 members and is chaired by Helawi Sewnet, director-general of Addis Abeba Infrastructure Integration, Construction Permit & Control Authority and Amanuel Teshome, president of the Association of Ethiopian Architects. This initiative is a critical first step in forging a public-private collaborative engagement to streamline the building permit process and reduce the pain points of its members in their respective architecture practices, according to Amanuel. The current forum will be effective for a year and is expected to put forth advisory solutions to curb issues in the provision of building permits in the capital.