Ethiopia to Host 2026 AMALI Leadership Forum in Addis Ababa and Bishoftu This October
ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopia has been officially selected to host the upcoming African Mayoral Leadership Initiative (AMALI) Leadership Forum this October, with events scheduled across Addis Ababa and Bishoftu. The announcement, made on August 12, 2026, by the Ethiopian News Agency (ENA), positions the nation at the forefront of continental urban governance dialogue.
The decision follows high-level strategic discussions between Chaltu Sani, Ethiopia’s Minister of Urban and Infrastructure, and Jennifer Comalie, Executive Director of AMALI. The meeting focused on the forum’s strategic significance, its projected long-term impact on African cities, and the sustainability of the initiative’s core mission.
Focus Keyphrase: Ethiopia hosts AMALI Leadership Forum 2026
Meta Description: Ethiopia selected to host the 2026 AMALI Leadership Forum in Addis Ababa and Bishoftu this October. Read about Minister Chaltu Sani’s talks with AMALI Director Jennifer Comalie on urban transformation, mayoral capacity building, and revenue mobilization.
Strategic Partnership Driving Urban Transformation
The selection underscores Ethiopia’s growing influence in shaping the future of African urbanization. According to Minister Chaltu Sani, the initiative has played a pivotal role over the past four years in strengthening leadership capacity and driving transformative change across Ethiopian cities.
“The initiative has primarily contributed to strengthening mayoral leadership and creating a lasting legacy, advancing urban digitalization and data management, and helping cities enhance domestic revenue mobilization and build greater self-reliance,” Minister Chaltu stated during the bilateral meeting.
This track record of tangible results—specifically in urban digitalization and own-source revenue generation—was a critical factor in the decision to award Ethiopia the hosting rights for the 2026 continental gathering.
AMALI: Accelerating African City Leadership
For context, the African Mayoral Leadership Initiative (AMALI) is a premier program designed to accelerate the transformation of African cities. It achieves this by providing tailored leadership support, fostering peer-to-peer learning networks, and strengthening the capacity of city leaders to address complex urban challenges.
The initiative operates in partnership with global development organizations, including the Bloomberg Philanthropies and the African Development Bank, aligning with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).
Core Pillars of the AMALI Model
- Leadership Coaching: Executive education tailored for mayors and city managers.
- Data-Driven Governance: Implementation of GIS mapping, digital tax systems, and performance dashboards.
- Peer Learning: City-to-city exchanges facilitating the replication of best practices (e.g., Kigali’s sanitation model or Lagos’ revenue reforms).
Forum Agenda: From Digitalization to Fiscal Autonomy
The October forum will convene mayors, city managers, and urban policy experts from across the continent. While the full agenda is being finalized, the Ministry of Urban and Infrastructure has signaled a strong focus on three thematic areas identified by Minister Chaltu as the initiative’s primary contributions to date:
1. Strengthening Mayoral Leadership & Legacy Building
Moving beyond technical management to visionary leadership. Sessions will explore succession planning and institutional memory—critical for cities where leadership turnover often stalls long-term projects.
2. Advancing Urban Digitalization & Data Management
Showcasing Ethiopian cities’ adoption of Integrated Revenue Administration Systems (IRAS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for land management. The forum will likely feature case studies from Addis Ababa’s smart city projects and secondary cities like Adama and Hawassa.
3. Enhancing Domestic Revenue Mobilization & Self-Reliance
A critical pain point for African municipalities. Discussions will center on expanding the tax base, leveraging land value capture, and reducing reliance on central government transfers—a key metric for the World Bank’s Urban Development metrics.
Building on a Proven Track Record: The 2023 Reunion
This is not Ethiopia’s first engagement with the initiative. Addis Ababa previously hosted the AMALI City Leadership Reunion on October 5–6, 2023. That event brought together alumni from the inaugural cohorts to assess progress and recalibrate strategies.
The success of the 2023 reunion—praised for its logistical execution and high-level participation—demonstrated Ethiopia’s capacity to host high-profile diplomatic and technical gatherings, paving the way for the larger 2026 Leadership Forum.
Dual-City Hosting: Showcasing Urban Diversity
The decision to split the forum between Addis Ababa (the political and diplomatic capital) and Bishoftu (a rapidly growing resort and industrial hub in the Oromia region) offers delegates a comparative perspective.
- Addis Ababa: Represents the megacity challenge—managing 5M+ residents, metro transit, and informal settlement upgrading.
- Bishoftu: Represents the intermediate city opportunity—managing tourism economies, industrial parks, and lake ecosystem preservation.
This dual venue approach aligns with the UN-Habitat’s “Urban-Rural Linkages” framework, highlighting that urban solutions are not one-size-fits-all.
Ministerial Commitment to Delivery
Minister Chaltu Sani emphasized that the Ministry is operating with “strong focus and commitment to ensure the success of the upcoming forum.” A national steering committee has reportedly been established, coordinating with the Addis Ababa City Administration, the Oromia Regional State, and AMALI’s global secretariat on logistics, security, and content curation.
Why This Matters for the Continent
With Africa’s urban population projected to triple by 2050 (OECD/AfDB), the quality of city leadership is the single biggest determinant of whether this demographic shift yields a demographic dividend or a crisis.
By hosting the 2026 AMALI Leadership Forum, Ethiopia is not just providing a venue; it is offering a living laboratory. Delegates will witness first-hand how Ethiopian cities are tackling the “implementation gap”—turning master plans into paved roads, digital tax receipts, and climate-resilient neighborhoods.
Key Takeaways
- Event: AMALI Leadership Forum 2026.
- Dates: October 2026.
- Locations: Addis Ababa & Bishoftu, Ethiopia.
- Key Figures: Minister Chaltu Sani (Ethiopia), Jennifer Comalie (AMALI).
- Focus: Mayoral leadership, digitalization, revenue mobilization, peer learning.
Related Reading
- African Union Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want
- UN-Habitat: Sustainable Urban Development
- World Bank: Urban Development Overview
- Bloomberg Philanthropies: Mayors Innovation
About ENA: The Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) is the official state news agency of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, providing news and information on government policy, socio-economic development, and foreign affairs.
