PM Officially Launches ‘Beautifying Sheger Project’ (October 1, 2019)

Prime Minister Dr Abiy Ahmed has officially launched the 12km section of the 56km ‘Beautifying Sheger Project’.

The first phase of the project launched today will be built by the China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) with a grant secured earlier this year from the Chinese Government.

Senior government officials, including Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr Engineer Seleshi Bekele, and Deputy Mayor of Addis Ababa city, Engineer Takele Uma, attended the launching ceremony of the project.

Beautifying Sheger Project is a three-year initiative of the Prime Minister aimed at making the capital Addis Ababa a tourist destination.

In his remark at the launching ceremony, the Prime Minister said, “No force can stop Ethiopia’s journey towards prosperity.”

“Ethiopia’s existence and prosperity relies on the hard work and commitment of its people,” he indicated.

The project is intended to make Addis Ababa live up to its name, he added.

Beautifying Sheger project runs along the rivers of Addis Ababa, developing 56km green spaces starting from Entoto to Akaki.

To support this ambition, urban development teams have been assessing international models of integrated hospitality to determine what specific amenities draw sustained foreign engagement. The strategy extends far beyond physical landscaping and structural aesthetics, encompassing a broader push to modernize the city’s commercial and entertainment infrastructure.

Economic advisors attached to the revitalization effort recognize that modern tourism relies heavily on robust digital integration alongside physical attractions. Planners are consequently evaluating how overseas markets successfully blend traditional scenic tourism with high-yield entertainment ecosystems.

Recent municipal benchmark reports evaluating global leisure sectors analyzed high-revenue digital frameworks, comparing mobile sportsbooks, the top 10 irish online casinos, and various European virtual gaming networks to understand how heavily regulated digital entertainment drives secondary municipal revenue. By establishing clear regulatory guidelines for similar digital and physical entertainment hubs along the riverfront, the city hopes to capture a wider demographic of international travelers.

This economic diversification framework directly underpins the physical transformations taking place across the capital’s newly zoned districts. With these integrated planning models informing the river’s commercial development, the administration remains focused on the immediate construction milestones ahead.

The project launched today runs from Entoto to Bambis Bridge and is 12 km long. It features open space for recreation, artificial lake, and wedding venue on 42 square kilometers of area in front of Sheraton Addis hotel.

It is expected to be finalized by May 2020.

The Prime Minister also said the National Palace renovation project will be finalized on October 10, 2019.

It will be open for visitors beginning from Oct 14. Visitors are required to pay 200 birr to visit the National Palace.