Addis Abeba — Amnesty International has called on Ethiopia's federal government to "immediately pause" the Corridor Development Project (CDP), citing what it described as "widespread forced evictions" in Addis Abeba and other areas, carried out without proper consultation, compensation, or legal safeguards.
In a report published on 14 April 2025, the rights group said its investigation found that at least 872 people were forcibly evicted from Bole and Lemi Kura sub-cities in Addis Abeba in November 2024, including 254 homeowners and 618 tenants, without prior adequate consultation, notice, or compensation. Amnesty said those affected included 114 children and 13 older people, none of whom reported receiving compensation.
Amnesty said these are forced evictions, "the removal of people against their will from their homes without legal protections."
The CDP, officially approved by the Addis Abeba Executive Council in February 2024, is described by officials as an "urban transformation" initiative intended to "improve infrastructure, housing, and public spaces." The first phase targeted central areas of the capital, while the second phase, covering 132 kilometers across eight corridors, was launched in October 2024.
Chaltu Sani, Urban and Infrastructure Minister, while presenting her office's nine-month performance report on Monday, said the CDP has expanded to 63 cities and claimed the initiative is "transforming deteriorated neighborhoods and slums" into modern, livable spaces with "vehicle roads, pedestrian walkways, bicycle paths, electricity, and other service infrastructure."
She recalled that "before the reform, 74 percent of urban areas" were in deteriorated condition, but said that through the CDP and other initiatives, "significant improvements" have been achieved. She also noted that urban green coverage has increased from 5 percent to 22 percent.
However, several previous Addis Standard reports, including a January 2025 article, noted that despite improvements like "streetlights" and "fountain displays," the project has faced criticism from displaced residents and business owners. A bar and restaurant owner from Yerer Sefer told Addis Standard that five businesses, including a clinic, were removed, and he was given only "three days to pack." He added that the replacement land is 150 square meters, down from 221, and that compensation has not yet been received.
In its April 2024 editorial Addis Standard argued that with nearly 60% of Ethiopians living in extreme poverty and a staggering $1 billion funding gap hampering emergency response efforts, a redirection of resources to save the lives of millions across the country could have been more effective than investment in urban beautification projects.
Similarly, Amnesty in its report said the "scale of forced evictions... is unprecedented in Ethiopia," adding that "millions of residents in cities where the CDP is currently being implemented" now live in fear, uncertain whether they might also be displaced.
Amnesty's Crisis Evidence Lab, which analyzed satellite imagery from early November 2024 to February 2025, confirmed that at least 29 hectares of densely built-up areas in Bole and Lemi Kura underwent structural clearing. The group said this "correlates with testimonies provided by victims," and that the land "remained empty" as of early February.
Amnesty said the evictions followed a public meeting in Addis Abeba attended by around 5,000 people, during which city officials allegedly informed residents that the area was needed for the CDP and that "they were committed to further consultations."
A week after the meeting, Amnesty reported that city administration officials "went door-to-door telling people to leave their homes within three days," warning that their houses would be demolished. All 47 households surveyed by Amnesty said their homes were demolished within 24 to 72 hours of receiving the oral notice.
Tefera, one of the evicted individuals cited in the report, said his home included multiple rooms he rented to support his extended family. He told Amnesty International that his children have dropped out of school because he cannot afford to pay their school fees.
Beyond material losses, Amnesty said the evictions have had a " social and psychological impact." In interviews, multiple respondents reported that their children are suffering from "mental health issues" and expressed a sense of abandonment by the government. One individual said, "We lost hope on the government," while another stated, "Our social life is ruined. Life has also gotten expensive due to additional transport and house rent costs."
Amnesty also reported that residents lost access to traditional welfare networks, including "Idir"--a form of community-based mutual support organization--as well as religious and women's associations. "I am now evicted from my Idir," one respondent said, adding that their children are "dealing with mental health challenges."
Amnesty further stated that journalists who attempted to report on the CDP have faced "harassment" and "threats." The organization linked these reports to broader concerns over "crackdowns against human rights organizations," which it said have contributed to the "underreporting of human rights issues" related to the project.
Amnesty asserted that the government has "violated the evictees' human rights" through three failures: "failure to hold meaningful consultations," "failure to follow due process," and "failure to provide alternative housing."
"Evictions must be considered only as a last resort," the group said, warning that without proper safeguards, they constitute a violation of rights, including the right to adequate housing, as enshrined in treaties Ethiopia has ratified such as the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and the Kampala Convention.
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Amnesty said that without these safeguards, such actions amount to "forced evictions," which are "prohibited under international law."
The organization noted that in January 2025, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed was reported in the media as saying that "15,000 evictees in Jimma town have not demanded compensation." Amnesty criticized the remark, stating that "the government is obligated to provide compensation regardless of whether individuals request it."
Amnesty stated Minister Chaltu Sani told parliament in January 2025 that "property demolition" was a key agenda item in a recent Prosperity Party Central Committee meeting and that the committee had "decided to halt" the demolitions.
Despite this, Amnesty said its findings -- along with ongoing reports of evictions and lack of compensation -- indicate that "recurrent human rights violations" are continuing under the CDP.
Amnesty reported sharing its preliminary findings with Ethiopian authorities on April 1 but said it had received no response at the time of publication.
Amnesty concluded by urging the Ethiopian federal government to "immediately stop forced evictions," "temporarily suspend the CDP" until an independent investigation is conducted, and adopt safeguards to ensure evictions comply with international human rights standards.
