The new guidelines promote physical distancing, controlled access to the markets, crowd control in markets as well as the observance of personal hygiene.
BAHIR DAR (U.N. Habitat) – Ethiopia’s Minister of Urban Development and Construction Ms. Aisha Mohammed laid a cornerstone in a ceremony in the northern city of Bahir Dar to mark the beginning of the redesign of markets in the country to curb the spread of COVID-19. The guidelines on the redesign were produced by UN-Habitat and funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).
“These new guidelines promote physical distancing, controlled access to the markets, crowd control in markets as well as the observance of personal hygiene. This will ensure the provision of essential food to communities, and that markets are safe spaces for making and sustaining livelihoods and reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases,” Haregewoin Bekele, an urban planner with UN-Habitat, said at the event.
A local street in the city will be used as an extension of the market with markers to designate spots for the women’s market. In the main market there will be spaced queues, physical distancing markers between shoppers, safety barriers between vendors and shoppers and hygiene centers at the entrances.
Where the markets are extremely congested, some traders will be relocated to other open spaces. In Fara Gebeya market in Hawassa city, where a pilot is being run, part of the market will be moved to another open space while the main market is retrofitted. The new relocation site is 8,000 square meters and is designed to accommodate 280 vendors.
Tiratu Beyene and Amare Alemu the Deputy Mayors of Hawassa and Bahir Dar, respectively, welcomed the initiative and pledged joint cooperation. “Open markets are a common means of livelihood in Ethiopia. We are therefore very grateful for this intervention that will ensure that our people are safe as they earn their daily bread,” said Ato Amare*.
UN-Habitat has ensured that the new market designs will be practical and sustainable beyond the pandemic. The two pilot markets should be completed within two months to be followed by a major roll out of markets innovations across Ethiopia, drawing from lessons learn in the pilot runs.
About SIDA
The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) is a government agency working on behalf of the Swedish parliament and government, with the mission to reduce poverty in the world. Through our work and in cooperation with others, we contribute to implementing Sweden’s Policy for Global Development (PGU).
About UN-Habitat
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) promotes socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. UN-Habitat envisions well-planned, well-governed, and efficient cities and other human settlements, with adequate housing, infrastructure, and universal access to employment and basic services such as water, energy, and sanitation.
* Ethiopians use patronymic names rather than family names. That is, a person in Ethiopia is addressed by his/her given name as there is no such thing as ‘family name’ or ‘inherited name.’ The word “Ato” is a title Ethiopians use, which is equivalent to “Mr.”
Source: U.N. Habitat