After six years of operation, Ethiopia and Djibouti have taken over the management of the Ethio-Djibouti railway from Chinese companies.
The railway, which connects Addis Ababa to Djibouti’s capital, was handed over to the Ethiopia-Djibouti Railway SC (EDR) after training of local staff by China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Engineering Corporation (China Railway).
The railway, built as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, has significantly reduced travel times between Ethiopia and the port of Djibouti from three days to less than 20 hours.
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Despite operating at a loss since its launch in January 2018, it has become crucial for Ethiopia’s trade, carrying about 90% of the country’s exports.
The railway now employs over 3,000 local staff after the training program that included leadership training for 200 middle and senior managers and further training in China for 100 local managers.
