ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 12 (Horndiplomat) — Ethiopia has been selected to host the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative (AMALI) Leadership Forum in October, bringing mayors and city leaders from across the continent to Addis Ababa and Bishoftu, the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) reported on Wednesday.
The announcement followed talks between Ethiopia’s Minister of Urban and Infrastructure, Chaltu Sani, and AMALI Executive Director Jennifer Comalie, who discussed preparations for the forum, its broader significance and the long-term sustainability of the initiative.
Chaltu said AMALI had played an important role over the past four years in strengthening leadership capacity and supporting transformation across Ethiopian cities.
The initiative has helped strengthen mayoral leadership while supporting cities in areas including digitalisation, data management and domestic revenue mobilisation, according to the minister.
She said those efforts were helping Ethiopian cities build stronger institutional capacity and greater financial self-reliance as they respond to rapid urbanisation and growing demand for public services.
Chaltu said the Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure was working with a strong focus and commitment to ensure the successful organisation of the October forum.
The gathering is expected to bring together mayors and other city leaders from across the continent, providing a platform for exchanging experiences, strengthening peer-to-peer cooperation and discussing approaches to some of Africa’s most pressing urban challenges.
Ethiopia has previously hosted AMALI activities. Addis Ababa hosted the AMALI City Leadership Reunion on Oct. 5-6, 2023, bringing together city leaders as part of the initiative’s efforts to strengthen urban leadership networks across Africa.
AMALI seeks to accelerate the transformation of African cities by providing tailored leadership support to mayors and other senior city officials, promoting peer learning and strengthening their capacity to address increasingly complex urban challenges.
The initiative places particular emphasis on equipping city leaders with the skills and institutional tools needed to manage rapidly expanding urban populations, improve municipal governance and strengthen the delivery and financing of local services.
The selection of Addis Ababa and Bishoftu for the October forum further positions Ethiopia as a venue for continent-wide discussions on the future of African cities and urban development.
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