Addis Ababa, December 12, 2024
Addis Ababa stands as a defiant symbol of motion and progress. Unlike the stasis that has gripped cities like Durban, Luanda, Mombasa and Kinshasa, this mountainous city carves its identity as a hopeful antithesis — a space where despair melts into the promise of something greater.
Ileave you now, Addis, reluctantly and with a heavy heart; this love we share is too sweet, too obsessive, too consuming. Each time we meet, I lose my head, much like Tracy Chapman sings: lost to matters of the heart. It is very difficult to fall or restore unconditional affection for African cities these days.
But alas, O land of the yellow blossoms, duty calls. I must tear myself away from your soothing embrace, leaving behind all my alluring desires. I console myself only with the hope that this separation is not final — that we shall meet again soon, and that the flame you have kindled will burn even brighter when we do.
Symbol of motion and progress
Addis Ababa stands as a defiant symbol of motion and progress. Unlike the stasis that has gripped cities like Durban, Luanda, Mombasa and Kinshasa, this mountainous city carves its identity as a hopeful antithesis — a space where despair melts into the promise of something greater. In every corner, Addis negotiates between the hard truths of its political past and the dream of a brighter African future. It breaks free from the shackles of the sub-city that many old urban spaces have become in both the Global North and the Global South.
Addis has always been a beacon. From Emperor Menelik II’s founding of the city in 1886, to its resilient defiance against Mussolini’s occupation, the city has long symbolised resistance, unity and self-determination. But while its streets echo with the footsteps of liberation, Addis is not entirely free from the shadows of coloniality. Much like other major cities, its present and future are entangled with Euro-American-Sino imaginations of modernity.
Skyscrapers rise like glass exclamation points in a narrative crafted by capital, yet there is something fiercely unique here. Unlike Cairo, a city wrestling with the artificial sterility of its “smart city” developments, or Cape Town, caught in the vice of gentrification and privilege preservation, Addis experiments boldly, refusing to be fully captured. There is grace in its evolving beauty.
A city transformed: renewal amid contradictions
The transformation of Addis is palpable. Slums are being replaced by towering buildings, a double-edged sword that cuts deep into the lives of the city’s poor. Rising property prices force many to the outskirts, where transportation costs often spiral beyond their reach. Yet, amid these displacements a different kind of energy prevails — a sense of renewal that is as challenging as it is exhilarating. The Uber economy, with its demands on mobility, smart connectivity and infrastructure, adds another layer to this dynamic urban transformation, driving property values higher and reshaping the democratic dividend. After all, beauty is not cheap, and ever since its monetary value was discovered, the world has become a mess — no romance without finance!
In all this, one cannot help but marvel at Addis’s meticulous governance. From the airport to the mayor’s office, the city exudes an air of order and purpose. Men in orange overalls sweep the streets with a quiet dignity, while wheelbarrows carry away the dust of change. Beneath every pavement, new water pipes and fibre optic cables are laid, ensuring the veins of the city pulse with the lifeblood of progress. Walkways and cycle paths are under construction, even if it means breaking and pushing back the boundary walls of banks and embassies. Traffic lights and roundabouts, often overlooked in the post-colony, act as metaphors for the rhythm of Addis, a rhythm that invites you to pause, to share space, to observe.
The eternal allure of Addis
Yet, the true beauty of Addis lies not in its infrastructure development and expanding industrial development zone, but in its people. There is a quiet, almost divine grace in the way the city’s women carry themselves. Their beauty transcends the physical, becoming a symbol of the city’s charm and allure. In their presence, vows become fragile, moral temptations overwhelm, and the weary traveller’s heart is forever ensnared. How else can one explain this enchantment but as a deliberate act of the divine? Truly, Addis is “the land of origin” (as the Ethiopian Air byline goes), of beauty, of culture, of hope. The question remains in Johannesburg: “Why do abo my friend (Ethiopian and other East African immigrants) leave behind their (beautiful) women/sisters” — pun intended!
And what of the men? They walk these streets with an unjealous confidence, a rare quality that allows the city’s spirit to flourish unhindered (you are free from that “don’t look at our women” Lagos gaze). Together, the people of Addis form the soul of a city that celebrates its diverse and painful heritage while embracing the future. From the spicy delights of its cuisine to the soothing indulgence of its spas, Addis offers a sensory feast that rivals the best in the world.
A seat of power and unity
More than just a city, Addis is a symbol, a gracious host to the African Union and UN agencies, a hub where the continent’s leaders converge to proclaim a collective future — from its founding as the Organisation of African Unity to date. Its history as the cradle of pan-Africanism is well-documented, but what sets Addis apart is its ability to balance contradictions. Regional rivalries and national interests collide here, yet the city manages to hold it all together, a delicate dance that underscores the resilience of multilateralism.
Diplomats from all corners of the world come and go, their briefcases heavy with plans for peace, neocolonialism, anti-imperialism and development; yet their hearts are invariably softened by the city’s poetic charm. Here, the words of an Inanda proverb ring true: “The future belongs to the united.” Through Agenda 2063, there is a common determination to accelerate national and regional development resulting in jobs and prosperity for all Africans. Addis is more than just a meeting place; it is a catalyst for unity, a stage where dreams of social and economic transformation take shape.
New seasons, new flowers
Addis Ababa, as its name suggests, is a flower that transcends time. Its petals, vibrant and alive, tell the story of an African city that refuses to wilt. It has withstood droughts and famines, civil wars and tyranny. It defeated imperialism. In its embrace of modernity, it does not abandon its roots. Instead, it finds ways to harmonise progress with tradition, creating a canvas that is as inspiring as it is complex.
The sun rises over Addis to illuminate more than just its streets; it lights the path to a better future for all of Africa. In its clean pavements, its magnificent streetlights, the burgeoning palm trees, its bustling traffic circles, its gentle people, and its soaring ambitions, Addis restores faith — not just in the city itself, but in the broader African dream of a renaissance — regular power cuts notwithstanding. Like a great love affair, it challenges you, tempts you, and ultimately leaves you transformed.
And so, Addis, in this new season of growing multipolarity, you remain a New Flower — not merely in name, but in spirit. You are a city pregnant with the promise of renewal, a city that reminds us of the beauty that lies in resilience and hope. All premature autopsies about the African city are exposed here.
You are, and forever will be, the heart of the African city, the living Carthage. Don’t cry for me — Addis; the truth is, our new African modernity love affair defiantly endures.
By Busani Ngcaweni, Director-General of the National School of Government, South Africa, via Daily Maverick