Ethio-Djibouti Railway is the Road to Prosperity: Outgoing Ambassador

Addis Ababa,September 18/2020(ENA)The Ethio-Djibouti Railway (EDR) is the road to prosperity as it hugely helps landlocked Ethiopia turn to land-linked to Djibouti where 95 percent of its trade goes through, outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Ethiopia said.

Ambassador Tan Jian made the remark at a conference held on Thursday in Addis Ababa to introduce the Ethio -Djibouti Railway Future Development Strategy and Freight Service.

During the occasion Ambassador Tian said the Ethio-Djibout Railway is of strategic importance to Ethiopia, and noted ‘it is a road to investment and trade, industrialization and urbanization, as well as a road to prosperity and success.”

Ethiopia has been striving to become the manufacturing hub of Africa, and he added “so this is not just a transportation line but also an economic belt and a development corridor.”

The outgoing Ambassador further noted “2019 witnessed revenue increase by 45 percent over 2018 and in the first half of 2020 the revenue jumped by 51 percent compared with the same year of 2019.”

Transport Minister, Dagmawit Moges said the Ethio-Djibouti Railway is a showcase and flagship mega project in Eastern Africa which proved to be an unreserved brotherly cooperation between the three countries, Ethiopia, Djibouti and China.

“This strategic railway connects Ethiopia’s development corridors to the ports of Djibouti and can deliver the assumptions and expectations previously attached to it,” she underscored.

Dagmawit stated that Ethiopia, Djibouti and China together have accomplished difficult task of construction of about 756 km rail line with all relevant infrastructure, rolling stocks and facilities and the system was made open for operation since January, 2018.

CCECC Ethiopia Executive Director and General Manager, Guo Chongfeng said ever since the commencement of operation of EDR the transport volume has been steadily climbing and revenue has been rapidly increasing.

“We have operated 588 freight trains, transported 38 thousand containers, and delivered 730 thousand tons of goods in the first half of this year. Among them, 73 thousand tons of fertilizer and 60 thousand tons of grains to support agriculture and people’s livelihood,” Guo stated.

The General Manager emphasized that the steady growth of revenue is the testimony of its success.