Transport Master Plan to Assure Dry Ports to Three Cities

Nov 12 , 2022


Three cities in southern and western Ethiopia will see the erection of dry ports if a transport master plan gets implemented. Hawassa in the southern, Jimma in Oromia and Assosa in the Benishnagul Gumuz regional states have been selected to build dry ports in 2025, disclosed transport authorities. Last week, the Ministry of Transport launched a national transport master plan to develop the transport industry and logistics infrastructure in federal and regional cities. The Ministry has been preparing a 10-year implementation strategy for the past two years, drafting laws, and increasing the use of technology in infrastructure development. It has partnered with various ministries such as Agriculture, Industry, Mines, Urban Development & Infrastructure and Finance to foster the strategy for roads, water, railway, and air transport development. The federal government plans to expand 10 new airports and eight dry ports. Dagmawit Moges, minister of Transport & Logistics, said the national master plan serving for the next three decades aims at making the country a logistics services hub, promoting economic development, increasing domestic production, innovation and sustainable strategies. The Ethiopian Roads Administration (ERA) has overseen the study of the master plan, designed by the Italian consulting firm, Italferr. An international consulting and technology solutions company, MIC, has been part of the master plan development work. The African Development Bank (ADF) has funded the project with plans to build 5,049Km of new expressways, 22,000Km regional roads, and the rehabilitation of 5,741Km. Authorities at the Roads Administration said that nearly half a trillion Birr was invested in road projects in the past 10 years.


Radar

Tech Ministry Falters as Audits Expose Mismanagement, Unmet Ambitions

The Ministry of Innovation & Technology is under scrutiny after an audit revealed lapses in project management and financial oversight. This raised questions about governance standards within a Ministry central to the country's tech-driven growth ambitions. According to the Federal Auditor General, the Ministry has completed only 11pc of its planned projects with its overall financial administration standing at 37.4pc for a year-long project that commenced in 2022. Budget mismanagement an...


Radar

Central Bank Keeps Lending Lid Tight as Inflation Squeezes Economy

The Central Bank has reaffirmed its decision to maintain an 18pc cap on credit growth, reinforcing a commitment to tighter monetary policy during persistent inflation and economic uncertainty. The National Bank of Ethiopia's (NBE) monetary policy committee cited ongoing concerns over inflation, which stood at 19.9pc year-on-year (YoY), and liquidity imbalances as reasons to uphold the restriction on lending. Bankers and analysts interpret this move as evidence of regulators' determination to...


Radar

Ethio Telecom Expands Services with DStv Streaming

Ethio telecom enters the entertainment pool with bundled DStv streaming services through high-speed broadband internet and mobile data packages. The partnership with MultiChoice Ethiopia aspires to merge the telecom's fiber broadband and mobile network with DStv's content. Subscribers can access DStv channels through mobile data or fiber broadband bundles, with discounts of up to 35pc through Telebirr or My Ethiotel (*999#) and up to 26.5pc at sales centers for fiber broadband bundles. Acc...