East Africa: News - Ethiopia Explores Cross-Border Transport Service With Djibouti in Effort to Foster Regional Connectivity

Embassy of Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (file photo).
10 October 2023
Addis Standard (Addis Ababa)

Addis Abeba — A high-level delegation from Ethiopia, led by State Minister for Transport and Logistics Bero Hassan, recently embarked on a journey to Djibouti. The primary objective of the visit was to engage in discussions with counterparts, including Hassan Humad Ibrahim, Djibouti's Minister of Infrastructure and Equipment, regarding the potential initiation of a cross-border public transport service between the two nations.

The meetings yielded positive outcomes, as both parties expressed their commitment to enabling seamless transport connectivity. As a significant step towards this goal, a joint team of experts has been assembled from both Ethiopia and Djibouti to prepare a draft agreement. A formal signing of the forthcoming agreement is scheduled for mid-November 2023.

The Djibouti-Galafi road, which serves as Ethiopia's primary logistics route, remains a significant hindrance to the resumption of public transport between the two nations due to its current poor condition. In January 2023, the Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Service Enterprise revealed that a significant portion of the 200-kilometer road connecting the Djibouti port to the Ethiopian border through the Galafi checkpoint has suffered extensive damage, necessitating extensive maintenance and repairs.

The upgrading of the Djibouti-Galafi road is currently being carried out by different contractors. The first section of the road, spanning 20 kilometers from Galafi to Daguiro, has already been completed. The second section, which covers a distance of 60 kilometers from Daguiro to Galamo, has been assigned to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and is presently undergoing construction. According to the Ministry of Transport and Logistics, the Chinese contractor has committed to paving a minimum of 10 kilometers of the road with asphalt by December 2023.

In May 2023, an agreement was reached between Ethiopia and Djibouti to enhance the 35-kilometer road connecting Galamo and Moloud. The Ethiopian Construction Works Corporation has been awarded the project and has already commenced construction work.

Although short-lived, Ethiopia and Sudan initiated a similar venture in 2018 by establishing a cross-border transportation service connecting Addis Ababa to Khartoum. This notable effort came to fruition after the successful completion of a trans-border highway project that entailed an arduous eight-year construction process.

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