COMESA Assistant Secretary-General Mohamed Kadah praised Addis Ababa's transformation into what he described as a world-class city, calling for other regions to follow the capital's development model.
Kadah made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Ethiopian News Agency, highlighting the city's transformation as both a cosmopolitan center and capital.
"Addis Ababa is becoming a world-class city, being so developed, and with a very fast pace of development. It is remarkable to see how Addis has developed over the last two, three decades, and also more recently," Kadah told ENA.
The COMESA official emphasized the importance of replicating Addis Ababa's success across Ethiopia's other regions to ensure balanced national growth.
"We need to make sure that development is distributed as equally as possible so that we all grow together," he said.
Kadah described Addis Ababa as providing an excellent vibrant cosmopolitan center while stressing that rural development remains essential for inclusive growth. He noted that while having a bustling center is important, development must extend beyond urban areas.
The Assistant Secretary-General highlighted Ethiopia's position among Africa's largest economies, stating the country ranks among the continent's biggest five economies when measured by GDP. He also described Ethiopia as one of the fastest growing economies on the continent.
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Kadah addressed environmental sustainability, describing it as a cross-cutting priority for development. He praised Ethiopia's Green Legacy initiative, calling such environmental programs essential for sustainable growth.
COMESA works closely with all member states on environmental protection and climate change management, according to Kadah. He emphasized that without attention to environmental protection and climate change mitigation, development efforts would not be sustainable.
"Going as green as possible and reducing pollution and harmful practices as much as possible are very welcome initiatives, very beautiful ones as well," he concluded.
The comments reflect the regional organization's focus on promoting sustainable development models that can be replicated across member states.
Addis Ababa has undergone significant infrastructure transformation over recent decades, establishing itself as Africa's diplomatic capital and host to the African Union headquarters. The city's development has accelerated under recent administrations, with major investments in transportation, housing, and commercial infrastructure. Kadah's comments come as Ethiopia positions itself as a regional economic hub, though they also highlight ongoing concerns about ensuring development benefits extend beyond major urban centers to rural areas where most Ethiopians live.
