About Us

The Board was first established under the Addis Ababa City Administration Regulation No. 28/1992, initially named the "Compensation Assessment Board." This creation was rooted in Article 37 of the FDRE Constitution, which grants every person the "Right to Justice" to submit a matter to a legally authorized body. Its primary mandate was to serve as a judicial body to receive and decide on compensation amounts for land vacated for government projects intended for public benefit. The Board was authorized to investigate and rule on disputes over compensation assessments for any legal owner or investor who disagreed with the government's announced amount. Decisions were guided by the Ethiopian Civil Code of 1952 (for property disputes) and the Urban Leasehold Regulation No. 3/1987 (for lease tenders). The legal authority was limited to the amount of compensation, not the underlying rights of the dispute. The assembly was structured to include a Chairman, a Secretary, and seven other members, all appointed by the government's executive committee, along with necessary working departments and staff.

Following its initial establishment, this phase would typically involve a period of operational experience that highlights structural and legal shortcomings. The board likely underwent a change in name to reflect a broader appeal jurisdiction, evolving from a mere 'Assessment Board' to an 'Appeals Board' to better align with the constitutional right to justice. This period would focus on streamlining procedures and perhaps incorporating new federal or city-level expropriation and compensation proclamations that were enacted after 1992.

The Board would integrate new, comprehensive national legal frameworks governing land expropriation, valuation, and compensation, such as Proclamation No. 455/2005 (or its subsequent revisions). This change would likely grant the Board expanded powers, including the authority to consider factors beyond just the assessed monetary value, such as displacement, lost income, and replacement costs, in line with modern land acquisition principles and international best practices (like World Bank policies).

Today, the body functions as the Addis Ababa City Land Acquisition and Compensation Appeals Board, operating as the highest administrative appeal body for land and compensation disputes within the City Administration. It handles complex cases arising from large-scale urban development projects, infrastructure expansion, and renewal schemes. Its decisions represent the final administrative ruling before a case may be escalated to the formal court system, solidifying its critical role in ensuring due process and fair compensation for citizens affected by public purpose land acquisition.