Addis Ababa
Ethiopian capital; headquarters of the African Union and Africa CDC; ARILAC programme launch venue.
Last refreshed: 7 May 2026
Why does so much of African health governance happen from a city that still faces its own infrastructure gaps?
Timeline for Addis Ababa
Mentioned in: Africa CDC and EU launch ARILAC for AMR
Pandemics and Biosecurity- Why is the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa?
- Ethiopia offered to host the Organisation of African Unity (predecessor to the AU) at its founding in 1963 as a neutral pan-African site. The AU moved into its current Chinese-built headquarters building in 2012.
- Where is Africa CDC based?
- Africa CDC is headquartered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, co-located with the African Union, which established it in 2017.
- What happened at the ARILAC launch in Addis Ababa?
- On 6 May 2026, Africa CDC, ASLM, and the European Union formally launched ARILAC in Addis Ababa, inaugurating a four-year programme to build AMR laboratory capacity across eight African Union member states.Source: Africa CDC
Background
Addis Ababa is the capital and largest city of Ethiopia, with a population estimated at around 5 to 6 million people in the metropolitan area. Situated at an altitude of roughly 2,350 metres in the central Ethiopian highlands, it is one of the highest capital cities in the world. Addis Ababa is the seat of the African Union, making it the primary diplomatic hub for continental African governance, and hosts more international organisations and embassies than any other African city. It is also a major commercial and transport centre, home to Ethiopian Airlines, one of Africa's largest carriers. The city has grown rapidly in recent decades, with significant urban development alongside persistent infrastructure gaps in outer districts.
Addis Ababa hosts Africa CDC's headquarters, making it the operational centre for continental disease surveillance and outbreak response. It was the venue for the launch of ARILAC (Advancing Regional Integrated Laboratory Capacity for AMR Control) on 6 May 2026, where Africa CDC, ASLM, and the European Union formally inaugurated the four-year programme to build antimicrobial resistance laboratory capacity across eight AU member states . The city's dual role as AU diplomatic seat and Africa CDC home base means major continental health governance decisions — programme launches, outbreak coordination, treaty negotiations — concentrate here.
