Pathways to Industrialisation and Urban Spatial Outcomes: The Case of Addis Ababa - Bishoftu Economic Growth Corridor, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT

Economic developments affect urban land-use changes. Using Lefebvre’s production of (urban) space as a conceptual framework, this study investigated the industrialisation process and its urban spatial outcomes in three cities (Galan, Dukem, and Bishoftu) along the southern outlet of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital. Landsat images were used to quantify the changing patterns of the three cities from the period 2006 to 2021. Interviews with key informants and document analysis were used to supplement these findings. The analysis reveals that in Addis Ababa-Bishoftu economic growth corridor, the unruly urban land-use changes have become a serious issue, challenging the sustainable development of cities. The study confirms that the proximity to Addis Ababa has contributed to the urbanisation process and urban corridor formation through investment expansion. This calls for a high level of expertise as well as integrated regional development for sustainable urban and industrial development.

KEYWORDS:

• Industrialization
• urban land use
• spatial outcomes
• economic growth corridor
• sustainable development
• Ethiopia

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank an anonymous reviewers for taking the time and effort necessary to review the manuscript. We also express our gratitude to OUPI members and all interview partners for sharing their expertise. We are specifically grateful to Mr. Derirssa Amdissa, Mr. Eyasu Kumera, Mrs.Selamawit Fetene, and Dr. Tesfaye Belete for sharing their knowledge and information for the research.

Disclosure statement

We wish to confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with this manuscript.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [Melaku Tanku], upon reasonable request.

Notes

1. Ethiopia has no clearly defined policies and strategies that encourage businesses and investors to fulfill their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). However, the country’s investment laws support social and environmental sustainability values in various investment activities.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Notes on contributors

Melaku Tanku

Melaku Tanku holds an M.Sc in International Cooperation and Urban Development from Technische Universität Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt), Germany, and in Development Economics from the School of Economics, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy. He also holds an MA in Regional and Local Development Studies from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He has been involved in the preparation of master plans, urban land, local economic development plans, and urban and regional plans projects in different cities in Ethiopia. His academic focus is urban economics, urban development/planning, regional development/planning, urban land, urbanization and industrialization, public-private partnership, industry park development, etc. His current research examines industrialization and urban spatial outcomes. Currently, he’s working as a lecturer at the Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction and City Development (EiABC) at Addis Ababa University (AAU) and doing his Ph.D. at AAU and Technical University of Berlin (TU Berlin) http://habitat-unit.de/en/team/melaku-tanku/. Contact: [email protected] <[email protected].

Berhanu Woldetensae

Dr.Dipl-Ing. Berhanu Woldetensae is an Assistant Professor in Urban and Transportation Planning, Chairholder of Urban and Regional Planning Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction, and City Development at Addis Ababa University (AAU). He obtained his Ph.D. at LAET, Lyon University II, Lyon, France. He also holds Graduate Certificate, Visting Fulbright/H. Humphry fellow, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cambridge, USA. He did MSc/Diploma Engineer in Spatial and Regional Planning from Vienna University of Science and Technology, Austria. He also did Postgraduate Diploma, in Regional Development Planning, from the University of Dortmund, Germany. His research interest is Architecture, urban and regional planning, and civil engineering. [email protected]. Contact: [email protected]