Why were the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa headquartered in Addis Ababa?

The decision to headquarter the Organization of African Unity (now the African Union) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa was rooted in Ethiopia's significant role in post-World War II international affairs and its commitment to Pan-African cooperation.1

Following its liberation during World War II, Ethiopia became one of the first independent nations to sign the United Nations Charter. Under the leadership of Emperor Haile Selassie I, the country actively provided moral and material support for the decolonization of Africa and the advancement of continental unity. Haile Selassie I was instrumental in the establishment of the Organization of African Unity in 1963, and his efforts to steer Ethiopia into the mainstream of African politics solidified Addis Ababa's status as a major diplomatic center.12