Ethiopia is in the process of launching cross border public transportation with three neighbouring countries Djibouti, Kenya and Sudan. The Ministry of Transport, has been working on the project since last year.
Diriba Kuma, Minister of Transport, told Capital that the Ethiopian government has signed the agreement with Kenya to begin shared cross border public transportation. “After we finish making the asphalt road we will begin public transportation between the two nations,” the minister said.
The two countries have recently secured hundreds of millions of dollars from the African Development Bank to build the road.
Diriba said, Ethiopia is in the process of signing an agreement with north Sudan and they already have agreed on the general framework.
“Currently the document is in the draft stages and we think the deal will be finished by early 2012,” he explained.
Sudan and Ethiopia are already connected through a high quality road. That highway is used mainly to import fuel from Sudan. The agreement allows for mass transportation; to utilize the road to transport citizens. Previously, most use small cars or airplanes to commute. For now, most people using the highway appeared to be from Sudan, according to sources. Bus transportation will reduce costs, making it easier for the general public to travel between the two nations.
According to the minister, the deal with Djibouti is expected to be finalised when ministers from the two nations meet in the next few months.
Currently, buses from Ethiopia transport travellers to Djibouti from the eastern part of Ethiopia. However Djibouti buses do not travel to Ethiopia . There is a passenger rail between the two countries but it is highly unreliable, very slow and sometimes non-existent. Most use air to travel between Ethiopia and Djibouti.
According to Diriba, the Ethiopian government wants to expand cross country road transportation with other neighbouring countries as well; like the newly formed South Sudan and Somaliland. Currently two asphalt road projects are being constructed by Ethiopia to connect the country with South Sudan on two sides, while the road construction that connects Ethiopia with Somaliland has been completed on the Ethiopian side up to Togochale; a border town. Recently the Somaliland authority has secured loan from an external financial source to complete an asphalt road from Togochale to the capital of Somaliland, Hargessa.
According to the minister, the agreement contains many details, including the standard of vehicles, tariffs and other issues.
Most other African countries have road public transportation with their neighbouring countries For instance from Kenya you can travel by bus to Tanzania and Uganda easily. Since Eritrea separated from Ethiopia 19 years ago, road public transport has not been allowed from either side.
By Muluken Yewondwossen
CapitalEthiopia
http://www.newsdire.com/news/2336-ethiopia-cross-border-public-transport-soon-a-reality.html
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