First time in…
Addis Ababa
Goats compete with cars in Ethiopia’s contradictory capital
By Alex Rayner
“Addis Ababa is a new town,” wrote Evelyn Waugh in his 1930 account of Haile Selassie’s coronation, “so new indeed, not a single piece of it appears to be finished.”
Almost 79 years on from Waugh’s tour the cement has set, yet Addis’s novelty remains. While Ethiopia is known for its ancient churches, the capital was only founded in 1887 by Emperor Menelik II. Few buildings predate the 20th century, and fewer districts have withstood the developer’s wrecking ball.
Here, livestock jostle beside motorcars and unfinished high rises are edged with wooden scaffolding. The scaffold poles are made from eucalyptus, which was introduced just over 100 years ago to counter deforestation. They are a vivid reminder that behind Addis’s modernity lies a population with enduring links 
to the soil.
Addis doubled in size during the 1960s and ‘70s, bringing a haphazard sprawl to the city limits. In places the streets give way to tree lined riverbanks, rubble roads and tin-roofed huts. Electricity supplies aren’t as reliable as they are in North America or Western Europe.
Orienting yourself isn’t easy, particularly on streets that have been renamed two or three times since the city’s foundation. Few offices or places of interest have an official address, let alone a house number. If in doubt, catch a cab. The blue and white saloon cars can be hired by the hour – we were able to negotiate 60 birr per hour (£3.30).
The city’s centre lies around Andinet Square, Meskel Square, Mexico Square and the Imperial Palace. The African Union’s headquarters and the mighty Holy Trinity Cathedral both fall within this district, as do the Hilton [Menelik II Avenue, + 251 11 517 0000] and The Sheraton [Taitu Street, +251 11 5171717] – the two most widely recommended hotels in Addis.
Rooftop restaurant, The Old Milk House (see p53), tucked behind the UN, is a good place to ease into the local cuisine. Most dishes begin with injera: a flat wholesome pancake cooked from a fermented cereal dough. Onto this is dolloped a portion of sauces or wats, or a share of meat (fried: siga tibs; boiled: siga kekel). Goat, fish, beef, lamb and chicken are all on the menu, though pious Orthodox Christians forgo meat on Wednesdays and Fridays, and so vegetarian travellers are well catered for with atkilt bayinetu.
To the north of the centre lie Piazza, Mercato, Siddist Kilo and Arat Kilo. Piazza, as the name suggests, is centred around De Gaulle Square and is a kind of Latin Quarter, with plenty of bars and restaurants, including the city’s famous Italian, Castelli’s (Mahatma Gandhi Street). Bob Geldof, Brad Pitt and Jimmy Carter have all eaten here.
Mercato, to the west of Piazza, is a gigantic market, said to be the largest in Africa. Street after street of souk-style kiosks offer everything from bolts of cloth through to electrical goods and plumbers’ parts. Yet there’s little in the way of nationally distinct gewgaws. You’re better off buying your presents in Piazza.
In Mercato, as in many districts of the city, there are a large number of beggars, ready to leverage any stores of pity in passing travellers in order to prise out a few notes. Some unwanted attention is inevitable. If you want to help, buy some meal tickets from Hope Enterprises [155 Churchill Road]. Eight meal tickets cost 4 birr, less than a can of Coke back home, and each ticket entitles the bearer to a free meal.
Siddist Kilo and Arat Kilo are the city’s best-known roundabouts. Their names translate as ‘Six Kilometres’ and ‘Four Kilometres’, indicating their distance from the city centre. Near these you’ll find the university – the hub of student life in Addis – as well as the museum and library of the Institute of Ethiopian Studies, the Museum of Natural History and the National Museum of Ethiopia.
South of the centre lies Bole Road, the main thoroughfare from the airport to the city. On either side of this lies a rich strip of bars and restaurants, patronised by wealthy locals as well as ex-pats. For a high quality, affordable stay, check into TDS hotel [+251 116 63 58 31], on the nearby Medihane Alem street. This is furnished with all the usual modern Western amenities, as well as a free airport shuttle service. Head to Harlem Jazz, at the bottom of Bole Rd, near the airport [+251 11 123 6154] for good live music. Grab a table at the bustling Peacock Café halfway along Bole’s eastern edge, and you will see just how Ethiopian cuisine has reinterpreted the hamburger.
Round off your evening off at Memo, a fun little club tucked behind the top end of Bole, behind Meskel Square [+251 11 551 98 87]. Beware though; while murals of the latest pop stars may adorn the walls, practitioners of the world’s oldest profession have been said to stalk the dance floor. As with so many sides of life, the timeless and modern rub along quite well in this city.
Doing business in Addis Ababa
• Ethiopians have a relaxed dress code, but shorts are categorised as leisure wear, and should not be worn to business meetings.
• Over the past decade, Ethiopia has liberalised its investment laws, and staff at the Investment Authority are very helpful. Where difficulties may occur is usually at local rather than federal levels, but the Investment Authority can intervene if investors face difficulties.
• Ethiopians prize courtesy and politeness. Shouting and table banging is totally counterproductive.
• There are plenty of investment opportunities in the country. Key industries include agriculture (Ethiopia has huge climatic diversity; you can grow anything from roses to rubber), food processing, flower exports (huge markets in the neighbouring Middle East), minerals and mining, oil and gas exploration, as well as tourism (lodges, hotels and the like).
