Over the next ten years, Ethiopia intends to raise the total length of its highways to 1,600km, over five-fold of the current 301km, according to Ethiopian Road Fund.

Sadiya Beshier, Road Infrastructure Planning Team Head at the Ethiopian Road Fund, said the plan has been laid down in light of expediting the economic and social development of the country, as well as enhancing integration across regions of Ethiopia, as well as with neighboring countries.

The plan, Ms. Sadiya said, is a strand of "Ethiopia's grand vision of 2030", which envisions making Ethiopia one of "the symbols of prosperity" in Africa. 

Regarding road connectivity with neighboring countries, she said the Fund is "planning to build additional road infrastructure to connect the country with Djibouti, Eritrea, and Sudan.”

Sadiya Beshir also called attention to efforts so far in road construction, especially those of expressways.

As of currently, Ethiopia's expressways are 301km long, along the Addis Ababa–Adama, Modjo–Hawassa, and Dire Dawa–Dewele routes.

Source: ENA