The seventh Ethiopian cities’ forum that aimed at enhancing ties and fostering exchange of best practices among cities is being underway in the town of Gondar.
The week long cities forum was officially opened on Sunday with the presence of President Mulatu Teshome and other high-level officials.
Some 231 Ethiopian cities and towns as well as foreign cities twinning with different Ethiopian cities are being attended in the forum.
Speaking at the opening, President Mulatu Teshome said urban areas will play crucial role in the efforts towards structural transformation.
In this regard, he urged the need to provide efficient services to urban dwellers and ensure good governance with the active participation of residents.
The Ethiopian cities forum will enable to enhance expand best practices in realizing development and ensure good governance, the President said.
The forum is intended to create healthy competition among cities and promote knowledge transfer and exchange of best practices, said Dr Ambachew Mekonen, Minister of Urban Development and Housing.
The Forum is important to create public mobilization to address challenges so as to enable cities pursue the right development path, he added.
The 231 cities and towns are also displaying innovative works in the week long forum, in which more than 12,000 peoples are in attendance. (ENA)