Ethiopia is to build a 250 kilometer high way connecting between Dire Dawa and Dewale it was announced. The road project, currently in the design stage is expected to upgrade the current gravel road to asphalt creating another alternative access to a sea port.

The road is particularly important in light of the fact the Ethiopia handles 98 percent of its export and import freight through Port Djibouti. It is also expected that a new port intended to be constructed in Tadjoura will increase the congestion at this port thus facilitating the trade though Djibouti. Ethiopia has been investing in the construction of roads connecting with other countries in the region including the recently completed Assosa-Kurmuk concrete asphalt road and the Shire-Adi Goshu- Lugdi road project.The first phase of the Shire-Adi Goshu-Lugdi project has already been finished at an estimated cost of 616 million birr, while the second phase leading to Lugdi is currently under construction.

The Gambella-Etang-Gikawe road is expected to connect the newly-independent republic of South Sudan to Ethiopia and is slated for completion in June 2013. There are several other roads currently in the planning phase including the road network expected to ultimately connect Ethiopia with Port Mombassa.

Source: Capital