Ethiopia’s International Trade Thrives Thanks to New Chinese Railway: Government Reports
The railway from China to Ethiopia and Djibouti has greatly reduced shipping times and expenses, boosting trade in Ethiopia. According to the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR).
A local conductor in Ethiopia recently received a notebook from a Chinese colleague at the Adama station. The 752-km railway is now a preferred route for import/export trade in Ethiopia, said Abdi Zenebe, CEO of EDR.
The railway has optimized the transport of Ethiopia’s major exports, like coffee. Almost all of the country’s coffee exports now go through this railway. Recent data shows that Ethiopia earned over 835 million U.S. dollars from 174,596 tons of coffee exports in the first nine months of the current fiscal year.
Zenebe also mentioned that the railway will start transporting mining products soon, including coal and cement. Official data shows that the railway has transported 680,000 passengers and 9.5 million tons of cargo. Over the past six years, annual revenue has increased by 39 percent.
Since 2018, the railway has expanded its services, offering cold-chain transportation, commuter trains for villagers, and special trains for automobile transportation.
