A Qatari property company is planning a luxury tourist resort in the heart of Ethiopia’s capital, and says it has the strong support of Ethiopia’s prime minister.
Ezdan Holding Group, chaired by Qatari royal Dr. Khalid bin Thani bin Abdullah Al Thani, wants to capitalise on Ethiopia’s strong economic prospects by building a resort in Addis Ababa covering 150,000 sq m.
Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn expressed "strong support" for the plan in face-to-face meetings in Ethiopia, Ezdan said on 31 January, and promised to "resolve any obstacles or challenges that may be faced" by the scheme.
Sheikh Dr Khalid led a delegation of senior Ezdan figures, other businessmen and Qatar’s ambassador to Ethiopia to discuss investment opportunities there.
They also held talks with Addis Ababa’s mayor, Diriba Kuma, to explore ways of fast-tracking the project.
With nearly 3.4 million inhabitants, Addis Ababa covers an area of around 530 sq km. Currently suffering a severe drought, Ethiopia is Africa’s second most-populous country and enjoyed annual GDP growth averaging nearly 11% over the ten years to 2014, according to the World Bank.
Ezdan gave no details for the resort scheme except to say it will have "high-quality technical specifications in terms of facilities and services which will contribute in raising the quality of real estate products available in the Ethiopian market".
Khalid said Ezdan will "intensify its efforts in the coming period, in cooperation with the Municipality of Addis Ababa, to choose the appropriate location for the project".
If the resort goes ahead it will be the first project in Ethiopia for Qatar, a major exporter of oil and gas.
Photograph: An aerial view of Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, which is spread over approximately 530 sq km (Hansueli Krapf/Wikimedia Commons).
• Edited on 9 February 2016 to correct the area of the proposed resort from 150 sq km to 150,000 sq m.
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Yes, EPRDF can give the land as misappropraition of land resources from the tiller to the INVESTOR is what it had fought for in its history. We urban dwellers are suffering from skyrocketing house rent assisted by inflation of food prices while the government is plotting to dump us somewhere in the rubbish.
150 sq.km is wrong. It is 150000 sq.meter or 0.15 sq.km
where did you get the information that says 150 sq. kilometer? Can you go back and check your sources which is the following; http://www.ezdanholding.qa/news-details.aspx?news_id=119
It is says 150,000 square meter. When you convert to square kilometer, it will be 0.15 not 150. It is simple mathematics. If you don’t how to calculate, you should have been use the same unity your sources.
TPLF known by its masked name as EPRDF made Ethiopia for Sale Since it took Power ,their Objective is basic Simple and Straight forward ,As long As it riches TPLF War lords and Their looting Wing EFFORT ,Everything and anything Ethiopia is FOR SALE
This article is making a major error hence misleading your readers by wrongly converting the actual size of the land officially reported (i.e. 150,000 meters square) to 150 sqkm. For your information 1 m^2 is 10^-6 sq km. That means 150,000 meters square should be 0.15 sq km not 150 sq km as you reported in your article. Please correct is soon…Here is the official article http://www.ezdanholding.qa/news-details.aspx?news_id=119
It looks like there is a huge discrepancy between the actual size of the area (150,000 sq. meter) that the Qatari property compnay, Ezdan, has announced to have reached into an agreement with the government of Addis, and the figure (150 sq. Kilometer) that you are reporting here. In light of the recent skirmish, loss of innocent lives and damage to private properties, you may need to verify your sources and make the necessary rebuttals. The diaspora opposition, quoting your report as a source, has already began calling for the usual violent demonstrations and mayhem in Addis, the capital city of Africa.