Ethiopia Reconsidered

I just finished my Peace Corps service in the summer of 2010 when I visited Addis Ababa for the first time. The trip was the culmination of years of various foiled attempts. My Ethiopia obsession and expectations swelled stronger as each plan fell through.

Still accustomed to the village life of a volunteer, I was in awe before the plane’s wheels skidded on tarmac. Catching stolen glances of the city from my coveted widow seat, my mind flooded with anxiety and excitement. Whisked from the airport in the early hours of the morning, too dark to see and too jetlagged to understand, my uncle escorted me to his home in the heart of Addis Ababa.

The next afternoon with fresh eyes and again in the luxury of my uncle’s car, I soaked in as much of the city sights as I could.  As we made our way through the city, I felt like I was transported to another era. I immediately associated Addis with Athens.

This beautiful bustling city was a sight to be seen. The landscape was so much more vast and impressionable than I anticipated. The iconic 1970’s style architecture speaks of a time when the city thrived. Everywhere I look, I see remnants of the disco era: pale yellow and green décor, vintage cars, mustaches, slim fitting bell-bottom jeans, etc.

Addis Ababa looked as if it were frozen in time. Sometime in the late 1970’s, at the peak of it influence, things stopped. Light layers of dust cover the city, as if to highlight the elapsed time of a forgotten empire.

The irreconcilable realization is, of course, that the city and its 5 million inhabitants didn’t defy the passing of time. This interruption in ascendancy was caused by a confluence of factors: droughts, famine, civil strife, border tensions, and politically instability just to name a few.

Within five years of my initial visit, I no longer see Addis as a city that is slowly eroding around itself. Very visibly, it is revamping to become a modern metropolis. The entire city is full of endless construction sites. As Addis Ababa’s population swells, condominiums are popping up everywhere in the thousands. Entire communities are being manufactured to alleviate the crushing demand for city housing.  Infrastructure has improved drastically over the past few years. Airports, roads and railway tracks are being laid all over the country to further extend the interconnectedness of a growing economy.

New African Union headquarters

While transportation remains a nightmare during these growing pains, it’s encouraging to see Addis regain its stride. While infrastructure improvements throughout the country have exponentially increased the quality of living, the equality of living grows more disparate. 

It is clear to me why Ethiopia is still mourning their former leader of 21 years. Despite his well-deserved human rights’ criticisms, there is no arguing the economic and infrastructural improvements the country now enjoys. One of the fastest growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia has reported double-digit growth for the past eight years. Decentralization catalyzed improvements across all sectors especially access to health care.

While there is something hauntingly beautiful about living amongst the historic relics, it is heartwarming to watch the city blossom to its potential in front of your eyes. Even as this city revamps its world image, similar feelings of marvel resonate with me even today. While the road is still long for Ethiopia to reach its full capacity, at least it’s paved for a smoother ride.