The historic heart of Addis Ababa is being demolished
Abiy Ahmed is imposing his vision on Ethiopia’s capital
The historic neighbourhood of Piassa, at the old heart of Addis Ababa, is being taken apart. Workmen are uprooting pipes, felling lampposts and chiselling at façades. One building is being dismantled brick by brick, as though a video of its construction is being wound backwards. Shops are being smashed through with sledgehammers. Homes have been bulldozed.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Deconstructing the city”
Middle East & Africa April 27th 2024
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