U.S. Based Professors Laud Ethiopia’s Urban Transformation, Climate Action

Addis Ababa, August 15, 2026 (ENA) — The Distinguished American professor, Edward Miguel, and the Cameroonian Economics professor, Linus Nyiwul, have commended Ethiopia’s rapid urban transformation, infrastructure development, and its growing commitment to climate resilience.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Edward Miguel, a Distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of California Berkeley, said he was impressed by the changes he observed in Addis Ababa since his previous visit to the capital city nine years ago.

“I think Ethiopia is very impressive,” he stated, adding that he could hardly recognize large parts of the city while driving around Addis Ababa.

The professor attributed the transformation to extensive infrastructure investment, underscoring that the government's prioritization of investment was crucial for economic development.

“Clearly the government has prioritized that investment. I think it is really impressive and important for economic growth. Without investment, there will not be growth,” he stated.

Distinguished Professor Miguel also appreciated Ethiopia’s economic reform efforts, saying that the country has become known for undertaking major reforms across key sectors in recent years.

He described Ethiopia’s approach of learning from the experiences of other countries as a “very smart approach.”

“In terms of economic reform, I think Ethiopia has become well-known for reform. There have been big reforms in major sectors in the past several years. And I think it is a very smart approach to learn from other countries.”

The professor also highlighted Ethiopia’s initiatives that are aimed at strengthening climate resilience, including new social programs and financing mechanisms.

“Ethiopia really has taken a lot of actions in terms of new social programs, financing mechanisms to promote climate resilience. It is extremely important. As the world warms, extreme climate becomes more common, and this region is very susceptible to those problems.”

Such measures are increasingly important as global temperatures rise and extreme weather events become more frequent, particularly in regions vulnerable to droughts and floods.

Emphasizing the importance of strengthening capacity to withstand climate-related shocks, Professor Miguel commended the Ethiopian government’s commitments to promoting climate resilience, stressing the need for continuing such encouraging efforts.

Similarly, the Cameroonian Economics professor at Gettysburg College in Pennsylvania (USA), Linus Nyiwul, commended Ethiopia’s transformation, citing the progress achieved by the country as evidence.

Witnessing the transformation that Ethiopia has undergone, you can tell that a lot of progress has been made, he said.

Professor Nyiwul particularly welcomed the country's policy initiatives to address climate change, saying the measures could provide useful lessons for other African countries.

The policy initiatives that Ethiopia is taking to address issues related to climate change are pivotal actions that other African countries can copy from, he stated.

“The policy initiatives that Ethiopia is taking to address issues related to climate change are actions that other African countries can copy from, and I am pretty confident that the Ethiopian government will continue to lead in that direction.”

He also expressed his confidence that Ethiopia would continue to advance its climate-related initiatives and maintain leadership in this area.

Furthermore, the professor underscored the relationship between economic growth and the availability of resources needed to finance climate action.

“In many ways, you could say economic growth can help to provide the resources that are needed to put into sectors that are highly vulnerable to climate change,” Professor Nyiwul concluded.