Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn on Wednesday put the foundation stone for the construction of a $1.7 billion railroad construction stretching along 375 kilometers.
Senior government officials, including the Transport Minister Workineh Gebeyehu, Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Osman Riza Yavuzalp, and President of the Afar Regional State – a state through which the railroad passes – were among the dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
"This is part of the 1500km railroad network under construction in Ethiopia," Desalegn said after laying the cornerstone.
He said his country has been constructing major infrastructure projects such as highways, railways and airports in an integrated way towards sustainable growth and development.
"Our infrastructure development efforts are aimed at bringing about economic transformation," he said.
The Woldiya–Kombolcha–Awash railway has been realized after two years since contract was signed with the Turkish Yapi Merkezi company.
According to Desalegn, financing was secured from the Turkish EX-IM bank and the Credit Swiss Consortium including Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria.
This project is an extension farther southeast of an earlier launched Mekele– Woldiya rail-line and it will farther be extended to Tajura in Djibouti.
The Mekele–Woldiya railway is being constructed with a financing secured from the Chinese EX-IM bank.
"Our success in securing financing from the fastest-growing nations of China and Turkey as well as from our European partners showed our successful economic diplomacy," Desalegn said.
He described the electrified railway as environmentally healthy that would reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuel.
"This project would speed up Ethiopia's economic growth and development by facilitating for a smooth import-export," Ethiopian Minister of Transport Workineh Gebeyehu said.
Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Osman Riza Yavuzalp, for his part, said the railway project "testified the Ethiopian government's vision and far-sightedness."
"Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa," he said. "Railroad and infrastructure are very important components of economic transformation."
"Railroad connects centers of production to centers of consumption,” he said.
In 1923 when the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed, Yavuzalp said, "we had 4000km road.
Mustafa Kamal Ataturk’s vision, he said, was to construct "a web of railroads in the young republic."
"We will always remember with respect and gratitude the legacy of our founding father Mustafa Kamal Ataturk," the ambassador said.
Senior government officials, including the Transport Minister Workineh Gebeyehu, Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Osman Riza Yavuzalp, and President of the Afar Regional State – a state through which the railroad passes – were among the dignitaries who attended the groundbreaking ceremony.
"This is part of the 1500km railroad network under construction in Ethiopia," Desalegn said after laying the cornerstone.
He said his country has been constructing major infrastructure projects such as highways, railways and airports in an integrated way towards sustainable growth and development.
"Our infrastructure development efforts are aimed at bringing about economic transformation," he said.
The Woldiya–Kombolcha–Awash railway has been realized after two years since contract was signed with the Turkish Yapi Merkezi company.
According to Desalegn, financing was secured from the Turkish EX-IM bank and the Credit Swiss Consortium including Denmark, Switzerland, Sweden and Austria.
This project is an extension farther southeast of an earlier launched Mekele– Woldiya rail-line and it will farther be extended to Tajura in Djibouti.
The Mekele–Woldiya railway is being constructed with a financing secured from the Chinese EX-IM bank.
"Our success in securing financing from the fastest-growing nations of China and Turkey as well as from our European partners showed our successful economic diplomacy," Desalegn said.
He described the electrified railway as environmentally healthy that would reduce the country's dependence on fossil fuel.
"This project would speed up Ethiopia's economic growth and development by facilitating for a smooth import-export," Ethiopian Minister of Transport Workineh Gebeyehu said.
Turkish Ambassador to Ethiopia Osman Riza Yavuzalp, for his part, said the railway project "testified the Ethiopian government's vision and far-sightedness."
"Ethiopia is one of the fastest growing economies in Africa," he said. "Railroad and infrastructure are very important components of economic transformation."
"Railroad connects centers of production to centers of consumption,” he said.
In 1923 when the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed, Yavuzalp said, "we had 4000km road.
Mustafa Kamal Ataturk’s vision, he said, was to construct "a web of railroads in the young republic."
"We will always remember with respect and gratitude the legacy of our founding father Mustafa Kamal Ataturk," the ambassador said.
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