The Practice and Challenges of Capital Cities in a Federal System: The Case of Addis Ababa

Abstract

Apart from its role as a local government for its residents, Addis Ababa is
the seat of the federal government and the Oromia regional state. From an
international perspective, it has also established itself as the seat of major
organisations such as the African Union. Addis Ababa is the largest city in
the country and the main centre of business and political activity. It has
the status of a chartered city within the Ethiopian federation. The capital
city model is a contested issue in academic and political fields, however.
The choice of an old capital city as a federal capital and its status in the
federation are among the controversies surrounding the governance of
Addis Ababa. What also makes the status of Addis Ababa contentious is its
regional standing as the capital city of one of the constituent members of
the federation. Recently, the choice of Addis Ababa as the regional capital,
and the special interests of Oromia in the capital, became contested
matters, leading to rivalry between the federal government, Oromia and
other federated states. Furthermore, there is the question of whether the
Ethiopian capital city model and secession are compatible. This article
examines the debate over capital cities in federations. It explores the way
in which federal capitals are organised and the nature of their relationship
with the federal government. The article critically reassesses the viability
of the Ethiopian capital city model, particularly in view of recent discussion
of capital cities in multicultural federations. To this end, it also examines
the foundations of and challenges to Ethiopia’s arrangements regarding
its capital city.