Ethiopia-Somalia road project underway

Work is now starting on the 234km road that will connect the Ethiopian town of Togochale with Berbera Port in neighbouring Somalia. The project is being carried out in three phases and will cost US$400 million in all, with this first 72km section costing some $90 million. The project is of key importance to both countries, as well as for East Africa’s economy as a whole. Landlocked Ethiopia’s economy has been growing healthily in recent years but has been constrained by a lack of access to a port. Meanwhile
March 11, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Work is now starting on the 234km road that will connect the Ethiopian town of Togochale with Berbera Port in neighbouring Somalia. The project is being carried out in three phases and will cost US$400 million in all, with this first 72km section costing some $90 million. The project is of key importance to both countries, as well as for East Africa’s economy as a whole. Landlocked Ethiopia’s economy has been growing healthily in recent years but has been constrained by a lack of access to a port. Meanwhile Somalia’s political instability in past years has held back its economy, although a return to stability has been achieved in recent times, with a corresponding improvement in its GDP.

The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development is providing the financing for the road project, following agreements signed in 2018 with the Ethiopian Government and the Somalian Government. The plan will also see development work to upgrade the facilities at Berbera Port. Improvements to the road and port facilities will help trade between the two countries, as well as international trade for both.

Finance & Funding

Related Content

  • China looks to the future with major highway plans
    February 15, 2012
    China is still moving ahead with plans that will give it the world's biggest highway system. Patrick Smith reports. As China's economy grows even more, keeping the country on the move has become a priority for the government. While the country has made great strides over the past decade in improving its infrastructure, the number of vehicles has also increased rapidly, and in some instances restrictions have been placed on them.
    Read More
  • East Africa's new connection
    April 30, 2012
    A new US$743 million road project now looks set to go ahead that will radically improve transport connectivity between Kenya and Ethiopia. The government of the two countries recently agreed a deal to co-develop a network of roads measuring some 880km in all to connect these neighbouring nations. The Mombasa-Nairobi-Addis Ababa link is expected to take three years to construct and will form part of the Trans-African Highway corridor. The project is being financed with a loan from the African Development Ban
    Read More
  • Two new road links will help boost Uganda’s economy
    October 3, 2014
    Uganda has unveiled plans for the construction of two road projects considered critical in enhancing the integration of the Eastern African economies and boosting the landlocked country's socio-economic performance - Shem Oirere writes The new Rukungiri–Kihihi–Ishasha/Kanungu and Bumbobi-Bubulo-Lwakhakha roads in Uganda feature a design influenced by the desire to harmonise modern road standards in East Africa. These new links will also cater for the current acute shortage of gravel for road construction
    Read More
  • Sri Lanka's new highway - on track
    February 14, 2012
    Work is progressing on-track on Sri Lanka's Southern Expressway project. This will be the country's first expressway and is expected to be completed by 2012, removing the bulk of traffic from the existing coastal road that is highly congested and also has serious safety issues.
    Read More

Highlighted Content