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| Ahmed Abiy hosts glitzy fundraising dinner for the elite | Ahmed Abiy hosts glitzy fundraising dinner for the elite |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed has hosted a lavish fundraising dinner as part of a drive to secure $1bn (£750m) for infrastructure projects in the capital. | |
| The dinner, dubbed "the most expensive in the country", saw 200 business people and representatives gather in Addis Ababa. | The dinner, dubbed "the most expensive in the country", saw 200 business people and representatives gather in Addis Ababa. |
| Guests paid $173,000 (£136,000) to dine at the former emperor Menelik's palace. | Guests paid $173,000 (£136,000) to dine at the former emperor Menelik's palace. |
| Since coming to power last year, Mr Abiy has pushed for wide-scale economic reform in Ethiopia. | Since coming to power last year, Mr Abiy has pushed for wide-scale economic reform in Ethiopia. |
| The glitzy event was held to help pay for the regeneration of an area in the capital, Addis Ababa. | The glitzy event was held to help pay for the regeneration of an area in the capital, Addis Ababa. |
| Beautifying Sheger, as the project is called, involves cleaning the rivers and building recreational parks in the capital. | Beautifying Sheger, as the project is called, involves cleaning the rivers and building recreational parks in the capital. |
| Who was there? | Who was there? |
| Some 200 business people and representatives from different organisations attended the dinner, held in the lavish palace of a former emperor. | Some 200 business people and representatives from different organisations attended the dinner, held in the lavish palace of a former emperor. |
| Guests began arriving at 15:00 local time (10:00 GMT) and were given a tour of the palace, according to some of the attendees who spoke to the BBC. | Guests began arriving at 15:00 local time (10:00 GMT) and were given a tour of the palace, according to some of the attendees who spoke to the BBC. |
| After the tour, they attended a cocktail reception and were personally greeted by Mr Abiy. | After the tour, they attended a cocktail reception and were personally greeted by Mr Abiy. |
| "I was happy to take pictures with him [Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed] and to talk to him like a normal friend. Not just me, but everybody else [got to experience that]," one guest, Ali Hussen, said. | "I was happy to take pictures with him [Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed] and to talk to him like a normal friend. Not just me, but everybody else [got to experience that]," one guest, Ali Hussen, said. |
| He felt proud to be able to help his city: | He felt proud to be able to help his city: |
| "I don't know how much money they collected [from the dinner]. But I am ready to pay again and again to finish the project", Mr Hussen said. | "I don't know how much money they collected [from the dinner]. But I am ready to pay again and again to finish the project", Mr Hussen said. |
| 'Traditional food' | 'Traditional food' |
| The guests described the food as traditional. | The guests described the food as traditional. |
| "There was raw meat. And I appreciate the way they prepared it. There was Tej (honey wine), coffee, very special coffee," Mr Hussen said. | "There was raw meat. And I appreciate the way they prepared it. There was Tej (honey wine), coffee, very special coffee," Mr Hussen said. |
| Businesswoman Solome Tadesse said Mr Abiy was making the rounds to the tables, encouraging people to eat. According to her, the prime minister did not sit in a special place but sat among the guests and ate and drank with them. | Businesswoman Solome Tadesse said Mr Abiy was making the rounds to the tables, encouraging people to eat. According to her, the prime minister did not sit in a special place but sat among the guests and ate and drank with them. |
| "We were satisfied by a lot of things, not just the dinner. I came out with hope," Ms Tadesse said. | "We were satisfied by a lot of things, not just the dinner. I came out with hope," Ms Tadesse said. |