As the political capital of Africa, Addis Abeba has held many conferences over the decades. The hospitable culture, perfect weather, and tourist activities make it a convenient conference setting. Many new facilities have been added to the list of venues in addition to the old stalwarts. The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) is a longtime favorite for international forums, symposiums, lectures, and summits. The African Union has also long been used for such audiences, but they now have a brand new 52,000m2 building with a 2,500-seat auditorium and additional conference halls.

In the 1990s, the Hilton Addis Abeba Hotel’s conference halls were joined by those of the newly built Sheraton Addis. Since then, the Millennium Hall was added in 2007, and many other hotels have also added to the ranks of conference centers, such as the Radisson Blu Hotel and Harmony Hotel. While not as flashy, Ghion Hotel has also been used for such purposes for decades. Outside Addis Abeba, Haile Resort in Hawassa provides a large, modern venue in a beautiful setting. Closer to Addis Abeba, the Aba Geda Conference Hall is another new venue located 100km southeast of the metropolis in Nazareth (Adama), the capital of Oromia Regional State.