Africa Hall’s Renovation for USD57 million
The historic Africa Hall, home to the genesis of the United Nation’s Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of African Unity (now African Union) is to be renovated via USD56.9 funding from the UN. The work will begin in November and is expected to finalize in mid-2024.
The landmark building built in 1961 was dedicated to the “services of the African people” by Emperor Haile Selassie and of which, member states of the UN have recognized the need to preserve and update its functionality and sustainability while preserving culture and patrimony.
The project area comprises 8,300 square meters of floor area and 4,500 square meters of landscaped areas and will feature a new visitor’s center. The ceremony to commence the works was led by Antonio Pedro, acting Executive Secretary of UNECA and Tesfaye Yilma (Amb), State Minister for Political and Economic Diplomacy at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The makeover of the hall is hoped to strengthen heritage tourism, one of the tenets of the AU’s Agenda 2063 program.
Photo Credit: Samuel Habtab