Last year, Ethiopia started the “Clean Ethiopia Campaign.” Dr. Abiy Ahmed, the prime minister of Ethiopia, headed the campaign to encourage environmental sustainability and cleanliness throughout the nation. Additionally, it seeks to increase public knowledge of cleanliness, trash management, and the value of keeping public areas tidy. Activities like clean-up drives, tree plantings, recycling initiatives, and educational events are often incorporated into the program.
Ethiopia started the corridor development initiative the same year. By enhancing transit networks, fostering effective waste management, and supporting sustainable urban habits, the Addis Ababa program has the potential to have a major impact on the cleanliness and environmental sustainability of the city.
The program supports broader national and global initiatives to improve environmental health and tackle issues like pollution and deforestation. In order to promote a culture of cleanliness and environmental responsibility, it promotes public involvement and cooperation between governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and local communities.
Taking lessons and experience from the first Clean Ethiopian campaign, the second round of the Clean Ethiopia and Green Development campaign was officially started in Addis Ababa. This year’s movement, which will run for six months, aims to address a variety of environmental tasks.
Using the knowledge and insights gained from the first Clean Ethiopian campaign, the Clean Ethiopia and Green Development campaign’s second phase was formally launched in Addis Ababa. A number of environmental activities are the focus of this year’s campaign, which will last for six months. Besides, the Corridor development began in Addis Ababa and spread throughout the country, incorporating both urban and rural corridor development.
Environmental Protection Authority Director General Lelise Neme said that the clean Ethiopia campaign is important for implementing national environmental protection efforts as well as long-term green development objectives. It is also a strong platform for public engagement and collective action that promotes environmental conservation as everyone’s duty.
She stated that over 30 million individuals participated through various channels, and about 7.3 million people participated in person during the first phase of the Clean Ethiopia Campaign. Thus, the initial wave of movements supported residents’ rights to a clean and healthy environment while simultaneously assisting in the reduction of pollution. Over 15 million individuals will participate directly in the second phase of the Clean Ethiopia Campaign this year, while an additional 50 million people will be targeted through media and online channels.
She added that the second campaign, which will run from June to November 2025, will concentrate on reducing noise and plastic pollution, improving waste management and disposal, and preventing contamination of soil and water, among other related efforts.
Addis Ababa City Administration Mayor Adanech Abiebie also explained that the corridor development program was part of a larger project aiming at upgrading urban infrastructure, transit systems, and supporting sustainable urban growth. This program consists of various components that have a direct impact on the city’s cleanliness and general environmental quality.
Additionally, incorporating green areas, bike lanes, and pedestrian routes into integrated urban planning is encouraged by the program. This promotes more environmentally friendly forms of transportation and improves the city’s general livability. Moreover, it offers dependable citywide waste management capabilities. It may be simpler to transfer waste to treatment facilities with improved transport corridors, which could support improved waste collection and management systems.
She also highlighted that the corridor development scheme has increased Addis Ababa’s environmental sustainability. The program includes green corridors or parks along transportation lines, which can help absorb pollutants and improve the city’s aesthetics. Furthermore, infrastructure upgrades can be combined with legislation and technologies aimed at decreasing emissions from automobiles and building activities.
More significantly, both the corridor development and the clean Ethiopian campaign position the capital as a model for achieving the aim of a clean Ethiopia. According to her, the city’s forest coverage climbed from 2.8% during the reform period to 20%. Furthermore, about 76 rivers and riverbanks have been developed. To tackle pollution, the city has built 454 public restrooms, 160 public recreation areas, and 2,133 children’s playgrounds.
She also mentioned that 241 kilometers of bike lanes and electric charging stations were constructed in recent years. Similarly, electric public buses and minibuses have been brought to help enhance the transportation system and minimize pollution.
It is true that by uniting people against environmental degradation, the corridor development contributes to the creation of a beautiful city. Over 65 towns and cities have benefited from the corridor development, which began in Addis Ababa and spread throughout the nation. At the moment, the development of the rural corridor is also going through a rigorous process.
For instance, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia and Mayor Adanech Abiebie of Addis Ababa visited the finished Anbesa Garage-Jukrose-Goro Square corridor development last Sunday. He claimed that the Corridor development projects in Ethiopia’s rural and urban areas keep bringing respectable, fair public areas that make communities better.
He noted that the Anbesa Garage-Jukrose-Goro Square corridor in Addis Ababa has transformed a previously crowded location. It adds new sidewalks, parking lots, children’s playgrounds, businesses, public plazas, public restrooms, and dedicated taxi and bus stops, which make it more accessible, inclusive, and livable for everyone.
“In particular, our recent rural corridor initiatives aim to rejuvenate rural areas and improve the quality of life for their residents,” the prime minister noted, extending appreciation to the Addis Ababa City Administration and the sub-cities that have mobilized resources to expand the corridor initiative into the city’s peripheral areas.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the Addis Ababa City Administration and the sub-cities that have mobilized resources to expand the corridor initiative into the city’s peripheral areas. I encourage other sub-cities and cities across the country to keep prioritizing citizen-centered approaches as we re-imagine and reconfigure urban life for the better.”
In general, the Clean Ethiopia Campaign and corridor development foster an environmentally conscious culture. Clean & Green Ethiopia promotes an enabling environment and raises public awareness, while Corridor development initiatives in both urban and rural areas of Ethiopia continue to introduce dignified, egalitarian public places that benefit communities. Therefore, taking lessons from both initiatives, other programs must be strengthened and integrated to improve environmental protection performance throughout the country.
BY EPHREM ANDARGACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 11 JUNE 2025
