Ethiopia is working on a strategic plan aimed at improving the country’s road network, in a bid to boost transport and trade and develop the country’s economy. The plans call for an analysis of 15,000km of roads in the country in a bid to evaluate the condition of the links and determine what upgrades are required to improve transport. A further 3,000km of roads will also be constructed under the programme of works, which will boost connectivity to the country’s rural areas.
The Ethiopian Government has charged the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) with developing the plans. Capacity and safety will be improved, while journey times between Ethiopia’s major urban areas and rural villages will be reduced and congestion hot spots will be eliminated. The key works included in the road development programme are expected to take four years to complete, with a budget of US$1.5 billion having been set to fund the construction and upgrade activity.
