Rail transport in Ethiopia

Rail transport in Ethiopia began in 1894 with the establishment of semi-public French company Compagnie Imperiale des Chemins de Fer Éthiopiens. The resulting route is today the only rail link in Ethiopia. However, there are projects for the expansion of rail transport.

History

The company turned to 1917, the railway line to Djibouti - Addis Ababa done. It was built in meter gauge. The track is now the only rail link in Ethiopia, but is only operated between Djibouti and Dire Dawa.

In addition, Emperor Menelik II issued on 15 May 1902, the British Government and the Government of Sudan, a concession the railways from the Sudan and Uganda on Ethiopian territory to connect with each other and a further concession on 28 August 1904 by the railways of the Sudan and interconnect of British Somaliland. Both projects were never realized.

During the time when Eritrea was not yet independent and a province of the Empire, Ethiopia (1962-1993), the local railway Massawa - Biscia also belonged to the Ethiopian rail transport. However, it was due to the effects of the Eritrean War of Independence since 1976 no longer passable. The track has a track width of 950 mm.

Projects

In September 2010, Ethiopian Railway Corporation (ERC ) said plans to build a total of 5,000 kilometers of new railway lines. The national five-year plan for the period 2010-2015 envisages to build first 2395 km new lines, which will connect 49 cities. The cost will be 4.2 billion euros. According to an end in October 2011 with the China Railway Group Agreement ( CREC ) made ​​a 317 km long section of the railway Addis Ababa - Djibouti is first newly built up Mieso at a cost of $ 1.2 billion in standard gauge. The new routes will be electrified and are powered by electricity from large hydropower plants.

Next there is a light rail system for Addis Ababa in planning. The People's Republic of China wants to ensure 85 % of the financing.

Already agreed in March 2000 Ethiopia and the Sudan a memorandum of understanding on the construction of a 2,000 kilometer-long railway line. The costs were estimated at around 1.5 billion U.S. dollars ( USD). For the planning alongside local engineers and Chinese engineering companies were used. Whether the project is pursued after the independence of South Sudan on, is not safe.