Overview

Ethiopia being a land locked country is using the neighbouring Djibouti port as the main access to sea port for mainly government import export business. Berbera Port in neighbouring Somalia is mostly used by Humanitarian communities such as WFP Ethiopia and Djibouti are connected through a paved road as well as a railway network.  Ethiopia’s reopening of diplomatic relations with Eritrea has created the expectation of expanded logistics operations via the Eritrean ports of Assab and Massawa. However, in the near future there are no expectations of these ports to be used Rapid economic growth for over a decade coupled with the creation of the African Continental Free Trade Area and growth of Ethiopian cities has increased demand for freight and public transport. The Ethiopian transport sector is heavily dominated by the public sector with road infrastructure development, railway sector, maritime, and logistics as well as aviation sectors heavily monopolized by the government. Private sector involvement in the transport sector was limited to public and freight transport services, freight forwarding and chartered flight services with small passenger aircrafts. https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ethiopia-roads-railways-and-logistics   

The Government of Ethiopia identified the transport sector as a game changer to maintain the country’s impressive economic growth trajectory, and it formed a National Transport Council that will lead the reform program in the sector. In the recent years, the Council formulated and endorsed a national transport policy (March 2020), a national logistics strategy (2020 to 2030) and policy, and the transport sector’s 10-year perspective plan (2020 to 2030).  According to the government’s 10-year transport perspective plan, the country envisages to invest 3.0 trillion birr (approximately $58 billion) in the sector in the next ten years and identified the private sector as an engine and active participant in this development planhttps://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ethiopia-roads-railways-and-logistics 

In 2020 Ethiopia has an estimated 144,024 kilometers (89,492 miles) of all-weather roads – about 41% of the required road network in the country, while in 2022/23 it is estimated to be 180,000km. In the past 15 years, the Government of Ethiopia has been engaged in expanding the road network. The Ethiopian Roads Authority plans to build an additional 10,000 km of road at a cost of 41 billion Birr ($1.5 billion). It is estimated that the federal road network is about 41,000 km, including 4,400 bridges and 40,600 culverts.  

The Government of Ethiopia is currently implementing a $2 billion National Logistics Development (NLD) strategy to alleviate trade logistic hurdles. According to the ten years perspective plan (2020 to 2030), the GOE aspires to:  

• Increase the total road coverage of the country from the current 144,027 kms to 245,942 kms.  

• Upgrade and strengthen the existing 28,099 km federal and regional roads.  

• Increase the coverage of regular and alternating road maintenance from the current 131,596 kms to 808,662 kms.  

•  Construct 3,000Km of Road for non-motorized transport services (Walking and Cycling). 

https://www.trade.gov/country-commercial-guides/ethiopia-roads-railways-and-logistics   

For more information on government contact details, please see the following link:  4.1 Ethiopian Government Contact List 

Website of the Ethiopian Roads Authority

Distance Matrix

Road Security and Accessibility 

Ethiopia has a population of approximately105 million people and a gross domestic product of US$ 111.27 billion. There are number of issues to address in road safety in Ethiopia, including major risk factors, coordination of road safety work, institutional capacity and data collection systems. Ethiopia prepared the “National Road Safety Strategic Plan of Ethiopia 2011 to 2021 “ to address the road security and safety issues. 

Road network is basically accessible there could be some challenges in certain areas associated with pockets of insecurity in Northern Ethiopia or other parts of the country as well. In certain locations, areas may be hard to reach due to rough, unpaved, and inadequate roads, which is exacerbated during the rainy season (June-September). Rough roads may also lead trucks to face mechanical issues, with little access to workshops for maintenance along the way. In addition, the prevailing seasonal weather conditions must also be taken into consideration, wash ways, flooded rivers that cause roads to be impassable, the presence of animals on the road (camels, livestock) and the bad conditions of several roads (potholes etc.). The distances are vast, there is negligible roadside support in case of accidents or breakdowns, and thus it is important to adhere to security procedures and standards.  

Weighbridges and Axle Load Limits 

The axle load limit in case of Ethiopia for Front Axle is 8 Ton and Rear Axle is 10 Ton as per the old regulation, however taking into account a new regulation it has the below provisions. 

• The mass of a single axle fitted with two or three wheels - 

1. which is a steering axle, exceeds 7 700 kilograms; or 

2. other than a steering axle, exceeds 8 000 kilograms. 

• The axle mass of a single axle fitted with four wheels is 10 000 kilograms 

• The maximum permissible mass for a tandem axle fitted with four wheels, and- 

1. which is a steering axle unit, exceeds 15 400 kilograms; or 

2. which is a tandem axle unit other than a steering tandem axle unit, exceeds 16 000 kilograms. 

• The maximum permissible mass of tandem axle unit fitted with eight wheels, is 18 000 kilograms but for a tandem axle - 

• The maximum permissible mass for a tridem axle unit where each axle is fitted with two or three wheels, and- 

1. which is a steering axle unit, exceeds 23 100 kilograms; or 

2. which is an axle unit other than a steering axle unit, exceeds 24 000 kilograms; or 

• The maximum permissible mass for a tridem axle unit where each axle is fitted with four wheels, exceeds 24 000 kilograms; and 

• A person may not operate on a public road a vehicle fitted with a quadrem axle unit. 

• The total will not be more than 56 tons.