ADDIS ABABA – Towards optimizing its socioeconomic advantages, in collaboration with neighboring countries, Ethiopia is aggressively working to connect people on either side of its borders through public transport, disclosed Transport Authority.
Yigizaw Dagne Communication Director at the Authority told The Ethiopian Herald that in cognizance of its multifaceted advantages, the country is striving to step up the transportation service with the neighboring countries.
Public transportation from Addis to Khartoum has already kick started through organized stocks in a special way and by ordered buses from the two countries since 2017.
In the wake of the commencement of the public transportation, commuters’ demand for the service has made an upward swing, he said.
The Director stated, following the Ethiopia-and-Eretria peaceful relationship, the Authority is also finalizing preconditions to launch the public transport between the two countries.
It has been preparing public transport bilateral agreement document and draft tariff proposals for starting the transportation service. As to him, the service will start soon after the government officials of the two countries signal a go ahead.
There are also some movements to start a public transport services between Ethiopia and Djibouti, he said.
Yigizaw noted, beyond strengthening the countries’ trust to each other and people- to- people communication, the economic advantage of such a service is very high.
Pertaining to track transportation, the country has been steadfastly working with Djibouti and Sudan as well as Somali Land, he stated.
To start the tracking transportation between Ethiopia and Eretria, the Ethiopian government has been prepared opening document and dispatched it to the Eretria’s government through Ministry of Foreign Affairs. And as such it is now expecting Eretria’s response.
Mitsiwa and Asseb ports, which the two countries had been using before, are now undergoing overhauling tasks as they are dilapidated and in bad shape. So, the tracking transportation will resume giving service when the border issue is finalized and the road under the construction between the countries sees completion.
Nonetheless, even if Ethiopia has an agreement with Kenya, it has not yet benefited enough for two reasons, the difference between the occupants holding capacity of the tracks it uses and the difference on conventions regarding vehicles’ brake direction.
The Ethiopian Herald Sept 29/2019
BY GENET FEKADE
