By: Staff Reporter
During December and January, especially in January, many diplomats from African countries, heads and staff of various institutions of the African Union based in various countries of the continent come to Addis Ababa to attend grand forums of international significance.
Institutions such as the United Nations, the Arab League, the European Union, and now BRICS, as well as international organizations such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Health Organization, and others, which use this opportunity to gather Africans in one place, also make Ethiopia their destination during this time. It is impossible to list all the institutions that can come to Ethiopia during this time; Ethiopia hosts many Africans during these months.
Addis has been fulfilling its responsibility of hosting the meetings for years. It welcomes its guests with peace and security, environmental cleanliness and sanitation, preparation of hotels and conference halls, etc., by making extensive preparations.
The ongoing corridor development in the city has taken this success to a great height. This year’s meeting of the association is being held at a time when the country has been able to significantly improve the status of its important streets through the newly launched corridor development.
Addis Ababa has also been involved in presenting new events to the participants of the conference in recent years. The Adwa Victory Monument, which is seen as a beacon of all black peoples who united Africans under the umbrella of Pan-Africanism to fight colonialism, is here for Africans to commemorate their history. The city has built huge parks, squares, and wide roads that were not there before. All are ready to welcome Africans. And it can be said that its readiness is more meaningful and guaranteed than ever.
Not only the streets and squares where guests mainly pass, but also many other areas have been cleaned and beautified, and except for some finishing works, a major part of the preparation has already been completed. Green areas have been included in all the streets where the corridor development took place. The green areas, which include grass, flowers and trees, can be seen as a reflection of the country's culture and tradition.
The media have already started to present reports that commemorate the founding fathers of the union. Right now, Africans are being remembered.
The same is true in terms of peace and security. The country's readiness in this regard is already well known and has been proven. This will continue to be strengthened this year. Security cameras installed along the corridor development and the readiness of security forces assuring overall readiness to successfully host the huge gatherings.
Although the summit of the leaders of the Union will be held after mid-January, there are many other meetings that will be held in advance. As mentioned earlier, December and January are the months of Ethiopians for Africans. Many Africans will visit Ethiopia during these months. The success of these African visitors' stay in Ethiopia, their second home, depends not only on preparations but also on strong collaboration between the people and the government.