Please be aware that the information is subject to change.  Information on conference logistics, such as registration times, will be added in the coming weeks.

We Welcome you to Addis Ababa!

We are very happy to be hosting the Understanding Risk and Finance Conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  We have prepared general information below to aid your travel to and within this wonderful city.

Conference Day Logistics

Dates and Locations

The conference will be held November 17-20, 2015.

  • Day 1-3 will take place at the African Union Headquarters:

P.O. Box 3243
Roosevelt Street
(Old Airport Area)
W21K19
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: (251) 11 551 77 00
Fax: (251) 11 551 78 44

  • Day 4 will take place at the University of Addis Ababa:

King George VI St, Addis Ababa 1000, Ethiopia

A welcome pack will be shared with you upon your arrival at the conference that will contain information on the program, as well as your badge and other requirements to enter the African Union Commission (AUC) Headquarter during the conference.

Expo and Exhibition

If you have been accepted to have an expo booth or exhibit materials, you may set up your booth or display at AUC headquarters on November 16th between 9 am and 5 pm or between 7 and 9 am on the morning of the conference.  All booths and displays must be ready by 9 am on November 17th.  Expo and Exhibition sites are located in the main building of the conference and are open to all conference attendees.

Attending Trainings

You will have the opportunity to register for a training during registration  These trainings are expected to fill up quickly, so register early to guarantee your spot in these training sessions.  Training sessions are open to the general public.

Building Facilities

Wifi and electricity are available at the conference venue.

Languages

French and English interpretation will be available throughout the conference.

Online Resources

Flights

The airport in Addis Ababa is Addis Ababa Bole International Airport (code: ADD).  International flights fly into Terminal II and domestic and regional flights fly into Terminal I.  Note that conference begins at 10 am on November 17th and ends at 5 pm on November 20th.  Book your tickets accordingly.

  • Bole International Airport Website: www.addisairport.com
  • The following airlines fly into Bole International Airport: Ethiopian Airlines, United, ANA, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa, Air India, SAS, Air China, South African Airways, Saudia, Turkish Airlines, Asiana Airlines, EgyptAir, EL AL Israel Airlines, Qatar Airways, Kuwait Airways

Visa

Visas cannot be obtained on arrival in Ethiopia. They must be obtained through an Ethiopian Consulate before your trip.  The process for obtaining a visa varies greatly depending on country of origin and country of residence. Visit the closest Ethiopian Consulate for precise information on visa requirements.  A letter of invitation will be provided to support visa applications.  Please request this when you register online and the UR&F team will follow up: https://www.understandrisk.org/urfinance .  If you need a visa (if you are coming from outside Ethiopia), you must register and request assistance by October 9th.

Note that the visa start date usually begins on the date of issuance, and most business visas are issued for one month.  Therefore, we will aim to issue your visa few weeks before you depart.

Transportation

To and from the airport

We recommend arranging airport pickup and drop-off ahead of time with your hotel.  There are also taxis available at the airport for immediate hire.

To and from the conference

A shuttle will transport participants from three central locations to conference venue each morning and return participants to these locations each evening.  This website will be updated when pickup spots are finalized.

Day Departure from hotel Departure from conference venue
Tuesday, Nov. 17 – AUC Headquarters  9:00am  6:30pm
8:00pm
Wednesday, Nov. 18 – AUC Headquarters  8:00am  5:30pm
8:00pm
Thursday, Nov. 19 – AUC Headquarters  8:00am  6:00pm
8:00pm
Friday, Nov. 20 – Addis Ababa University  8:00am  5:30pm

Guests are welcome to arrange their own transportation to and from the conference, for instance on public transportation by hiring a taxi which are both available in Addis Ababa.

Hotels

November is a busy time for hotels in Addis Ababa.  We recommend booking accommodation as soon as possible.  We have compiled the following range of options for consideration.  You may use online booking websites such as hotels.google.com, tripadvisor.com, or booking.com to explore other options and booking options.

Hotel Name Website Phone Number Approximate USD/Night Class Minutes to AUC by car
Radisson Blu Hotel http://bit.ly/1iTvDcd 251 115157600 $200-$500 ***** 13
Sheraton Addis www.sheratonaddis.com 25111 5171717 $275-$500 ***** 10
Capital Hotel and Spa www.capitalhotelandspa.com 251 1 16 67 21 00

251 1 16 19 20 00

$180-$250 **** 20
Addissinia Hotel www.addissiniahotel.com 251 116 62 36 34

251 116 62 34 39

251 116 69 54 08

$103-$150 **** 20
Dreamliner Hotel www.dreamlinerhotel.com 251 11 467 4000 $101-$139 **** 15
Tizeze Hotel www.tizezehotel.com 251116392000/01/02 $87-$175 **** 17
Addis Regency Hotel www.addisregencyhotel.com 251-111-55-00-00/34/31 $79-$105 **** 15
Hotel Lobelia http://www.hotellobeliaaddis.com/ 251 116 673850 $70-$90 **** 20
Dessie Hotel http://dessiehotel.com/rooms 251115576009 $50-$85 **.5 5
Atelefugne http://atelefugne.com 251 912 190328 $18-30  N/a 5

Relevant Traveler Information

CURRENCY

The local currency is the Ethiopian Birr (ETB), made up of 100 cents (1 Birr). Birr notes are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, and 100.

ATMS

ATMs/cash machines – are found throughout Addis Ababa. Dashen Bank is a principal member of both Visa and MasterCard International and has deployed 55 ATMs in Addis Ababa. There is an ATM at some of the larger Hotels.

WEATHER

You will find a subtropical climate in Addis Ababa with constant temperatures between the months. Addis Ababa has short winters from mid-November till January and also the first rainy season doesn’t last very long (February – May) and has warm temperatures. The second rainy season of the year is between June and September where the temperatures are lower, you have more rain and hail and less hours of sun per day. Afterwards the dry season starts.

The average high/low temperature for November is 22.6°C/8.7°C (72.7°F/47.4°F).

Questions

Checklist

October 9th:

  • Deadline to register if you wish to apply for an expo booth or exhibition space at the conference
  • Deadline to register if you will need a visa to enter Ethiopia (this applies to all people coming from outside Ethiopia)
  • Book flights (suggested)
  • Book hotels (suggested)

October 21st:

  • Suggested date to apply for a visa at an Ethiopian Consulate (you will apply using a hard copy of the visa support letter that we will provide)
  • Arrange transportation to and from airport with hotels

October 30st:

  • Deadline to register for the conference (general admission)