ADDIS ABABA- Over 250 individuals are confirmed to participate ‘Dine for Sheger’ dinner event slated for next Sunday, May 19, 2019, Office of the Prime Minister told The Ethiopian Herald yesterday.
Speaking to The Ethiopian Herald, Daniel Kibret said adequate preparations and activities have been made to success the fundraising task for the [29 billion Birr] ‘Beautifying Sheger’ project—aimed at making Addis Ababa clean, green and livable. Identifying individuals and companies that could afford the dinner, that costs fivemillion Birr per plate, has been top on the agenda, he said, stating that the Office has registered encouraging achievement in this regard.
Participants would not only dine on Sunday, but they also visit Menelik II’s palace aged over 130 years and heritages embraced in a strategic location at the large tract of land in the city, it was noted. The fundraising scheme has also significance in awarding citizens with ownership of the project, he said. The Premier always speaks his aspiration of changing the lives of the people and the situation of the country for the better.
He is translating the aspirations to reality beginning by renovating his office and the palace; the latter will be made open for visitors next September, he added. The Addis Ababa City Administration has already installed 2.5 billion Birr and the fund obtained so far from 250 individuals could be estimated to hit 1.25 billion Birr. International governments and partners also contributed funds to the project.
African Development Bank (AfDB), 600,000 USD; the Government of Italy, 5,000,000 Euro; UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), 1,000,000 USD and UN Development Program (UNDP) 1,000,000 USD, the Office of the Prime Minister reported on Monday. “The government of China already agreed to construct fourteen kilometers of the total 56km riverside project well ahead of the dinner event,” said Daniel.
Asked the participation of Africa governments in placing their imprints on the historic and diplomatic city of Addis, he said most of them have shown keen interests, mentioning the pledges of Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta during his official visits to Ethiopia earlier last March.
The Ethiopian Herald, May 17/2019
BY WORKU BELACHEW
