PM Abiy Says Ethiopia’s Far-Reaching Reforms Deliver Gains in Early Education, Urban Dev’t

Addis Ababa, February 3, 2026 (ENA)—Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Ethiopia’s long-term national reform agenda is delivering notable results, particularly in the expansion of early childhood education, planned urban development, and investments in future-oriented technologies, including artificial intelligence.

Addressing members of the House of People's Representatives during the 10th regular session of its fifth year, the Prime Minister said the government is increasingly focused on building future-ready citizens by investing early in education and technology.

“Early childhood education is one of our top priorities,” Prime Minister Abiy said, stressing that early investment is key to creating a competitive and capable generation prepared for the demands of tomorrow.

According to the Prime Minister, more than 34,000 kindergartens have been constructed nationwide over the past five to six years, enabling over four million children to access early childhood education programs across the country.

“These children are the hope of Ethiopia,” he said, noting that early preparation will allow future generations to compete effectively in a rapidly changing global environment.

Looking ahead, Prime Minister Abiy said Ethiopia is preparing for the rapid urbanization expected across Africa by 2050, with a strong emphasis on planned, inclusive, and sustainable city development.

Urbanization is inevitable, PM Abiy underscored.

And he argued that: “What matters is that our cities are planned, built by plan, and lived in by plan.”

The premier pointed to visible progress in Addis Ababa and several regional cities, where corridor development and urban renewal projects are currently underway.

While acknowledging that the initiatives began on a modest scale, he said the transformation is now expanding to multiple urban centers.

“This may be a humble beginning, but we kept our word,” the Prime Minister said. “We started from our immediate surroundings, and today the change is spreading to many cities.”

He cautioned against overconcentration of development in a single city, emphasizing that sustainable growth requires adequate infrastructure, sound planning, and balanced urban expansion.

“All people cannot live in one city,” Prime Minister Abiy said, warning that poor planning and insufficient infrastructure would make long-term urban development unsustainable