Welcome to Addis Ababa and to the second African Development Forum (ADF 2000), which is being held from 3 to 7 December 2000 at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). This year‘s Forum will bring leaders together from all levels and sectors of society, to establish an African-led agenda on an issue of paramount importance across the continent: "AIDS – the Greatest Leadership Challenge". The Forum is designed to serve as a launching pad for new levels of commitment and concerted action against HIV/AIDS by those who hold positions of leadership and influence in Africa.

Below is general information on meeting arrangements and on Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, that you may find useful. If you have any questions or if there is any way that we can be of assistance, do not hesitate to contact the ADF 2000 Secretariat (E-mail: adf@uneca.org, Phone: (251-1) 516513, Fax: (251-1) 516563 or 513798

General

The above mentioned Forum will be held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 3-7 December 2000 at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC-AA) in the ECA Complex.

The opening session is scheduled to begin at 18.00 hours on Sunday, 3 December 2000 in the Plenary Hall (Conference Room 1) on the 1^st floor of the UNCC-AA Complex.

The offices of the ECA are located in the ECA "New" Secretariat Building -- the first building one reaches going directly from the Conference Centre into the Complex. On arrival, you will be provided with a map of the United Nations compound and venue.

The ECA section responsible for organizing this conference is the ADF 2000 Secretariat. This section is located on the Ninth Floor of the ECA New Building. The Secretariat's direct telephone numbers are +251-1-51 65 13. The central exchange for ECA is +251-1-51 72 00.

Participants are required to register and obtain identification badges prior to the opening of the conference. For this purpose, a registration counter will be set up in the main lobby area in UNCC-AA from Friday, 1 December 2000 onwards. For participants arriving late, registration can be done at the front desk.

For identification and security reasons, all participants are requested to wear the badges at all times during the conference and at official social functions.

Documents

Participants will get copies of the documents for the Forum at the time of registration. Documents that participants wish to circulate should be handed to the Secretariat. Participants are also advised to consult with the Secretariat on any matter pertaining to the issuance or distribution of documents at the Forum.

Visas are required for all visitors/delegates travelling to Ethiopia, except for nationals of Djibouti and Kenya. Visitors from countries that have Ethiopian diplomatic missions are required by the Ethiopian immigration authorities to secure their visas from those missions. Delegates from such countries must obtain a visa through them before departure.

If your country does not have an Ethiopian diplomatic mission, ECA will assist you in obtaining a visa upon arrival. You should request visa assistance from ECA well in advance, as it generally takes at least one week to process visa applications and obtain the approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Immigration authorities. Please forward your passport details and flight information.

Please note that an Ethiopian visa costs between birr160-480 ($US20-60) per person depending on your nationality and payment must be made at the time of issue. Holders of diplomatic and service passports as well as United Nations Laissez-Passer will receive visas gratis. Expenses incurred in connection with visa requirements are paid in local currency obtainable from the Ethiopian Commercial Bank at Bole International Airport. Bank receipts for money changed at the airport must be kept securely as they may be asked for on departure. The airport tax on departure from Bole International Airport is US$20.00 and is payable in cash US dollars.

Addis Ababa is generally a safe city. However, the same precautions should be followed as in any other large city. Please remember that the altitude of Addis Ababa is 2,400 metres above sea level (higher than Mexico City).

Prior to entry, visitors to Ethiopia should be in possession of a valid health certificate for yellow fever. Vaccination against cholera is also required for any person who has visited or transited a cholera-infected area within six days prior to arrival in the country.

The United Nations Health Centre, situated on the ground floor of the Conference Centre, provides emergency medical services to participants/delegates attending meetings, during working hours. In case of a medical or dental emergency, please contact the following:

Dr. Dominic Rouvroy

Chief Medical Director of the UN Health Services

Telephone: 51 58 28 or 51 72 00 x 88888

ECA Ambulance

Telephone: 51 42 02 or 51 58 28.

Currency/Banks

All foreign currency in your possession should be declared on the blue currency declaration form upon arrival at Bole International Airport. There is no limit on how much you can bring into the country.

Ethiopian currency is denominated in "birr" and "centimes". The bank rate of exchange varies. The official exchange rates as of 26 September 2000 was $US1: 00 = birr 8.251.

There is a branch of the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in the ECA Rotunda Building. This Bank is open Monday-Friday, from 8.00 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. and from 2.00 p.m. to 4.00 p.m. There is also an authorized exchange center (Forex) at the Hilton Hotel. All major hotels are authorized foreign exchange centres.

Currency changed into birr at the Commercial Bank can be reconverted into $US at the Airport Bank upon departure, upon presentation of the blue currency declaration and the exchange receipts. You may not reconvert more money than you changed at the Bank. If you are departing on a late evening flight, the Airport Bank might not be open.

Credit cards

Credit cards (Visa and American Express) are accepted on a limited basis. They are accepted in some restaurants and hotels (such as Sheraton, Hilton, Ghion and Axum).

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General information about Ethiopia

Ethiopia is as large as France and Spain combined and has an area of 1,112,000 square kilometres. It has an elevated central plateau that varies in height from 2,000 to 3,000 metres. Addis Ababa is situated at an altitude of 2,400 metres. Agriculture is the backbone of the national economy, and the principal exports from this sector include coffee, oil seeds, pulses, flowers, vegetables, sugar and animal feed. About 90% of the population earn its living from the land. There is also a thriving livestock sector, and exports include cattle and hides and skins.

The population of Ethiopia is estimated at 55 million, and over 50% of the population are under 20 years of age. The average number of inhabitants per square kilometre is 49. Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state with a great variety of spoken languages. There are eighty-three languages with 200 dialects, and the three main languages are Amharic, Tigrigna and Oromigna. English, French, Italian and Arabic are also spoken, mainly in Addis Ababa.

Additional information on Ethiopia and ECA can be found on the following websites:

http://www.un.org/depts/eca

http://www.telecom.net.et

http://www.ethio.com

http://tour.ethiopiaonline.net

Ethiopia has two main seasons; the dry season lasts from October through May, and the rainy season starts in late June and ends in September. Temperatures depend on season and altitude. The temperature in Addis during December varies from 6 to 23 degrees centigrade.

Electric supply in Ethiopia is 220-240 volts, 50 cycles AC accessible via 13-amp, two-pin (Italian) socket.

Hotel accommodation

Reception on arrival

Provided that advance notice is given, participants will be met on arrival at Bole International Airport and will be assisted with the formalities regarding immigration and customs, etc. Consequently, expected date and time of arrival in Addis Ababa with flight details should be sent as soon as possible to the addresses specified. Any subsequent changes should also be similarly transmitted.

Transport

You will arrive at Bole International Airport, which is located just 5 kilometres from the centre of Addis Ababa. Please note that only those participants who have provided advance information to ECA of their flight number, arrival date and time of arrival will be met at the Airport and have bus transportation to their hotel provided.

If you would like transportation from the airport to your hotel, please advise us (by fax or e-mail) of your travel details at least one week in advance at: ADF 2000 Secretariat, ECA. Fax: +251-1-51 65 63. E-mail: adf@uneca.org

Transportation will be provided to the airport by the hotels. Therefore, participants should notify the respective hotels of their departure (time and date) 24 hours in advance so that they can make the necessary arrangements.

ECA buses will ferry participants back and forth from the hotels to the conference venue in the mornings, and at the end of the daily sessions.  If you want to walk to ECA, your badge (provided to you at registration) will gain you entry to the ECA compound. ECA will not provide transport during lunch break.

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FACILITIES AVAILABLE AT THE ECA

Telecommunications (telephone/fax)

Telephone service in Addis Ababa is generally quite good. Pay phones on the street or at the airport require two ten-centime coins.

Duty-free shop

Your "delegate" badge to the conference entitles you to make duty-free purchases (including cigarettes) in the duty-free shop located in the Rotunda of Africa Hall, across from Kenya Airways and the Post Office. This same facility is available in the Hilton and Ghion Hotels. Purchases must be made in convertible currency, preferably $US cash or by travellers’ cheque.

Catering

Catering facilities for refreshments and meals are readily available in the UNCC-AA restaurant and cafeteria, at reasonable prices. All official functions related to the conference will be communicated to the participants in due course.

Travel services

You must reconfirm your reservation for your return journey at least 72 hours before your departure from Addis. Travel agencies will reconfirm tickets for participants.

Kenya Airways and Ethiopian Airlines have offices in the ECA Rotunda, and 3 Travel Agencies (Express Travel, Gashem Travel and Safeway Travel) are located on the first floor of the New Building.

Post Office

There is a full-service post office located at the entrance to the Rotunda of the ECA compound. It is open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and then from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m.

The Ethiopian Telecommunications Authority maintains an office in the Rotunda of ECA compound, where you can make international telephone calls and send faxes and telexes.

Bookstores

There is a bookstore/newsagent in the ECA Rotunda. There are others at the Hilton and Sheraton Hotels, which also sell current newspapers and magazines from many countries.