Socio-spatial transformation: The case of Eastern Industry Zone and Bole Lemi-1 special economic zones, central Ethiopia

Special economic zones (SEZs) are places of exception with specific regimes and territorial boundaries that are effectively secluded from the rest of their surroundings. Ethiopia adopted SEZ development programs recently as an instrument of industrialization in its economic policy framework. This study tries to examine the triggering effect of SEZs in bringing socio-spatial transformations to their surroundings and host cities based on the enclave urbanism conceptual framework. The study considered Bole Lemi-1 (BL-1) and Eastern Industry Zone (EIZ) SEZs in Ethiopia. It used satellite images, a household survey, key informant interviews, observations, and a review of secondary sources to gather data. Spatio-temporal satellite images were obtained from the United States Geological Survey for 2008, 2014, and 2021. Randomly selected 384 households residing within 5 km radius of the SEZs were surveyed. Land use land cover (LULC) change analysis detected a consistent rise in the built-up area at the expense of shrinking farmlands and open spaces. The survey results reflect socio-cultural, economic, and environmental changes witnessed around the zones, while other stakeholders, including experts and officials, question the claimed transformation. The Mann-Whitney U tests (α = 0.05) result revealed significant statistical differences between EIZ and BL-1 in terms of socio-cultural and environmental transformations. In contrast, perceptions towards economic change showed no statistical differences. While the perspectives reflected in the study are open to continuous debate and further nuance before making bold conclusions, the analyses on the case SEZs signify the juxtaposition feature of zone permeability and enclaveness. We contend that the socio-spatial shifts triggered by the SEZs remain elusive unless pre-engineered with clear objectives and indicators at the outset. SEZ's development policy agendas recommended engraining a porous-enclave principle in their development blueprint.