Ethiopian Cities Association (ECA) in collaboration with the Association of Netherland Municipalities (VNG International) and with financial support from the European Union organized a one-day workshop today in Debre Birhan city.

The head of the mayor’s office and the representative of the mayor of Debre Birhan city, Ato Tsegaye Beyene, who gave a welcome speech on the day, said that Debre Birhan, which was the forefather of Ethiopian cities and was far from development for many years, has now become a model of efficient service at the national level where investment permits are obtained in one day.

In his opening speech, the Director General of ECA, Ato Andualem Tenaw, said that ECA is a learning platform for its member cities to generate new concepts in the field of urban development. He said this workshop is also raised new findings on urban housing and the member cities would exchange experience on it.

In this one-day workshop, the framework of the new urban housing development strategy was explained extensively by Ato Tsagaye Mushe, the Housing Development Executive of the Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure.

The Netherland Municipalities Association (VNG International) commissioned a research paper on the impact of the establishment of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks in the cities of Yirgalem and Bulbula on the supply of housing.

At the conclusion of the workshop, a presentation was made on the best practices of Debre Birhan city through investment, and the factories in the city and the solid waste disposal start-up project were visited by the honorable mayors. The Mayors also said that they learned many experiences during the field visit.