Addis Ababa riverside and corridor demolitions led to evictions without compensation
Short record: the main facts, with sources. A full case file has not been prepared.
- The record does not name which of my species, waters, soils or forests were harmed.
Demolitions for the 29-billion-birr Beautifying Sheger riverside scheme began before design approval. Arab News, citing AFP, reported that corridor works had demolished in more than 58 cities, and 872 people were evicted without compensation in Bole and Lemi Kura in November 2024.
- The Beautifying Sheger riverside scheme — the source's headline describes priority given to development over residents Climate Home News
- Residents evicted in Bole and Lemi Kura — 872 people, including 618 tenants, were evicted without compensation in November 2024 Arab News (AFP)
- Low-rent public housing residents — moved to cooperative flats they had not chosen, with a 120,000 birr down payment Addis Fortune
What happened
Climate Home News reported that demolitions for the 29-billion-birr Beautifying Sheger riverside scheme began before design approval, although limited displacement had been promised.
Arab News, citing AFP, reported that Amnesty urged a halt to Ethiopian evictions for urban development, and that corridor works had demolished in more than 58 cities.
Arab News reported that in November 2024, 872 people, 618 of them tenants, were evicted without compensation in Bole and Lemi Kura.
Addis Fortune reported that residents of low-rent public housing were moved into cooperative flats they had not chosen, and that a 120,000 birr down payment exceeded their compensation.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
Insurers
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Record
- None on record The sources reviewed do not give the total number of people displaced by the riverside scheme.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not name the authority or contractors that commissioned the Beautifying Sheger riverside scheme.
- None on record The sources reviewed do not say what compensation, if any, tenants received in the November 2024 evictions.
Did the harm stop?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Who paid?
Not stated in the sources reviewed.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Addis Ababa riverside project gives priority to development over residentsClimate Home News · 2020-03
- Amnesty urges halt to Ethiopia evictions for urban developmentArab News (AFP) · 2025-04
- Promised homes come with debtAddis Fortune · 2024
Connected cases
- Kabwe lead-poisoning claim against Anglo American is under appeal in South Africa Zambia · date not stated
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: advocate reporting on the case
- Kolwezi forced evictions (Cité Gécamines, DRC) Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2016–2023
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: Documented the evictions
- Lagos waterfront evictions (Otodo-Gbame, Badia East) and Eko Atlantic Nigeria · 2014–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: NGO; recorded evictions and deaths
- Ngorongoro and Loliondo relocations Tanzania · 1992–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: NGO; reported on forced evictions
- Niger Delta oil spills and sabotage attribution (Shell, Eni) Nigeria · 2008–2022
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: NGO; report on spill investigations
- Ogoniland and Bodo spills clean-up (SPDC, HYPREP) Nigeria · 1958–2026
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: Reported on spill-cause determination and sabotage attribution
- Study estimates 2,000 tonnes of uranium in DR Congo cobalt exports Democratic Republic of the Congo · 2000–2024
- Amnesty International (NGO) — here: called for a halt to evictions; there: documented evictions and abuses near Kolwezi