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Ethiopia: Expressway Project Goes as Planned

Ethiopian Road Authority said two projects of the Mojjo-Hawassa expressway, a project which constitutes East African Corridor- section of Trans African highway, were being constructed as per the schedule while the bidding process for the last two schedules was being finalized.

According to ERA’s Communication Director, Samson Wondimu, the expressway covers 202.5 Kms. The director said the construction cost13 billion birr and was phased in four projects, Modjo-Meki , Meki-Zeway, Zeway-Arsi Negele and Arsi Negele-Hawassa. The Modjo-Meki project is expected to be completed in the coming Ethiopian New Year. The project costs 3.6 billion birr. Ato Samson said, 58.1 percent of the finance was obtained from African Development Bank (AfDB) and the remaining 41.9 percent was covered by the government of Ethiopia. Twenty four percent of the Meki-ZEway project, which covers 37 kms and which costs over 2 billion birr, is completed. World Bank agreed to loan Ethiopia 3.1-billion Birr for the third project, Zeway – Arsi Negele. The last one, 52 Kms Arsi Negele-Hawassa project, is under way with fund covered by the government of Ethiopia and Chinese Exim Bank 15 percent and 85 percent in that order.

Upon completion, the road will link major towns, districts and agricultural as well as industrial zones in addition to facilitating the import-export through port Mombasa.

Source: The Ethiopian Herald