AFFAIRES | AFFAIRES 
APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)
24 September 2024 | 10:06
Ethiopia has begun the first-ever shipment of livestock by train to neighbouring Djibouti.
Takele Uma, chief executive officer of the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR), in a statement issued Monday, announced the launch of the shipment, emphasising that it will further diversify and maximize the 752-km railway’s transportation services between the two countries.
He said the newly launched livestock transportation service will enhance the railway’s role in facilitating Ethiopia’s exports to the international market, in addition to its significant contribution to the shipment of imported goods to central Ethiopia through the Red Sea nation of Djibouti.
“This approach will maximize the use of our open wagons, which were previously used only for imports. It will also boost the exported meat quality by minimising transport stress on animals, showcasing Ethiopia’s commitment to efficient and sustainable trade,” the EDR chief said.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous nation after Nigeria with about 120 million people, boasts the largest livestock population in Africa, with an estimated 70.3 million cattle, 95.4 million sheep and goats, and 8.1 million camels, according to recent data from the World Bank.
He added that the Ethio-Djibouti railway through Adama, a city in central Ethiopia, will help reduce traffic congestion.
MG/as/APA