Addis Ababa:Addis Ababa has been awarded the 2026 Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, known as the Shanghai Award. This recognition marks the city as one of the five distinguished cities worldwide for its efforts in promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development.
According to Ethiopian News Agency, the award is led by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in collaboration with China. It was launched in 2023 to honor cities making significant progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. Each year, the award is presented to five cities, acknowledging their contributions to advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban growth.
The Mayor of Addis Ababa, Adanech Abiebie, shared the achievement on social media, expressing that this recognition is a source of pride not only for the city but for Ethiopia as a whole. She highlighted that this accolade follows the city's win of the 2024 Seoul Smart City Prize, further demonstrating Addis Ababa's strides in urban development and its growing global competitiveness.
Mayor Adanech emphasized that the Shanghai Award acknowledges the effectiveness and sustainability of the city's urban development initiatives, particularly during the reform years. These initiatives have directly benefited the residents, with key development areas including integrating human-centered approaches in urban renewal, expanding housing supply, and promoting inclusive and integrated urban development through urban corridor and riverside projects. Additionally, improvements in public transportation, green spaces, cleanliness, and urban aesthetics have contributed to making Addis Ababa more livable.
She also pointed out that these initiatives have translated the city's potential into tangible results, enhancing residents' well-being and solidifying Addis Ababa's status as a globally competitive city. The Mayor highlighted the city's urban renewal model as an inspiring example for other cities, addressing urban renewal challenges faced by many developing nations.
In her statement, Mayor Adanech described the award as a testament to tangible action and collective effort, congratulating the city's residents and the country on this international recognition. Alongside Addis Ababa, the other cities honored with the 2026 Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities include Santiago de Cali (Colombia), Istanbul (Türkiye), Jingdezhen (China), and Katowice (Poland).
