ADDIS-ABEBA, (Hornpost) – At Addis Ababa Central Station, Ethiopian and Djibouti railway carriers were in the spotlight this Friday in an official ceremony marking a symbolic turning point for the Ethiopian-Djibouti Railway (EDR).
The event brought together a group of political and technical officials from the two countries, who came to greet the rise of a generation of young railway executives trained to manage the new strategic corridor between Djibouti and Addis Ababa.
Present at the ceremony, Djibouti’s Minister of Decentralization and Acting Minister of Infrastructure, Kassim Haroun Ali, emphasized “the scale of the joint efforts undertaken by the two governments to make this railway a model of regional cooperation and a tool for economic integration.” ».
Accompanied by an important delegation, including President Guelleh’s advisor in charge of infrastructure, M. Dirieh Hachi Youfis, the Director General of the Djibouti Railway Society (SDCF), Mohammad Robleh Dabar, and the Deputy Director General of EDR, Youssouf Djama Farah, Minister Kassim Haroun hailed in his speech the political engagement of the leaders of the two countries, President Ismail Omar Guelleh and the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, “for providing the sub-region with infrastructure that meets international standards.”
Several members of the Ethiopian government were also present, including Minister of Transport and Logistics Dr. Alemu Sime, Minister of Finance Ahmed Shide, Director General of EDR Eng. Takale Uma and Governor of the Central Bank Mamo Mihretu.
Young engineers and technicians from Djibouti and Ethiopia have received certificates of recognition and gifts for their performance, “the results of which, in one year of management, exceeded operational expectations,” according to the Djibouti minister.
It is indeed about the authorities of the two states to value local expertise in managing this infrastructure, which links the 750 km of railway between the port of Djibouti and the Ethiopian capital.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, a ministerial panel was held on the challenges of connectivity, logistic development and regional integration. On this occasion, the Ethiopian Transport and Finance Ministers exchanged with their Djibouti counterpart on the need to increase cross investments and optimize the flow of exchanges between the two countries.
“The railroad is not just about transportation. “It is a vector of peace, culture, and an engine for tourism growth,” Djibouti Minister Kassim Haroun Ali said at the beginning.
Inaugurated in 2018, the electrified railway linking Djibouti to Addis Ababa constitutes one of East Africa’s major commercial corridors.
Hornpost staff Reporter
Source: ADI
