ERA to Upgrade Jijiga-Togo Wuhalie Road to Link Berbera Port

[Fyr]

ERA to Upgrade Jijiga-Togo Wuhalie Road to Link Berbera Port

 

By ISSAYAS MEKURIA, FORTUNE STAFF WRITER

 

Ethiopian Road Authority is under direct orders from the Ethiopian government to upgrade the 70Km dirt road stretching between Jijiga and Togo Wuchalie, to meet an asphalt highway across the border in Somaliland.

 

The orders come as a result of the Ethiopian government’s decision to use the Berbera Port as an alternative sea outlet to the port at Djibouti, which has served as the country’s only port since the demise of Assab seven years ago.

 

The Berbera port, located 964 Kms from Addis, remained unused after the Somali government collapsed in 1991, but recommenced operations in mid-2004 as a harbour for food aid, destined for Somaliland and Ethiopia. The port can only dock four large or six medium-sized ships and a monthly cargo of 110,000 metric tonnes.

 

It is to be recalled that State Minister of Infrastructure, Haile Asegede, led an eight-person delegation, who visited Somaliland in May 2005. Amongst the delegates was the Minister of Revenue, Getachew Belay. Sources in ERA disclosed that the Ethiopian government’s decision to use the Berbera port was hampered by the deteriorated state of the gravel road connecting the country to the port, which was constructed more than forty years ago.

 

The Authority has posted a tender for the design and construction of an asphalt highway, on June 13, 2005, and is already evaluating proposals, submitted by four international companies. According to our sources, these four companies are from India, South Africa, Ghana and the UK. ERA will complete its technical and financial evaluation of the proposals and commence the project in the coming eight months.

 

Upon completion, the road will have sufficient capacity for 200 heavy trucks a day.

 

Samson Wondimu, ERA’s public relations manager, told Fortune that 15 of the 70 Kms was highly damaged road and has already been upgraded. It opened for use as of July 2005.

Addisfortune

[Somali_Friend]

How about Bassasso, Kismayo and Mugadishu.

 

Djibuti is run out of its witts now. All east africa will be peaceful and good neighborhood. Fair and brotherly competition in commerce. Help each other in distress.

 

The destructive djibuti type unfair competition by creating instability and war in southern somalia is not fair or humaine.

[Jacaylbaro]

Good news for somalilanders ,,,,,, this was under process since many years and is good to hear that it is starting now ,,,,,

[N.O.R.F]

Somaliland should use this 'asset' better. Berbera port is hardly used by Somalis (small medium businesses). Bossasso is the main route for goods in and out of Somaliland by sea.

[N.O.R.F]

dp

[Somali_Friend]

Originally posted by Northerner:

Somaliland should use this 'asset' better. Berbera port is hardly used by Somalis (small medium businesses). Bossasso is the main route for goods in and out of Somaliland by sea.

But be careful of Djibuti. Thats why Djibuti doesn't want any somalia port taking business from it.

Djibuti will do whatever it can to monopolize ethiopia against eritrea or somalia.

 

Sudan of course is beyond djibuti reach. The parts of ethiopia they consider their sphere doesn't also overlap.

[me]

Keep running xabash, keep running

[Somali_Friend]

Originally posted by me:

Keep running xabash, keep running

the first and best defense is run. a vietnemese saying

[me]

Originally posted by Somali_Friend:

quote:Originally posted by me:

Keep running xabash, keep running

the first and best defense is run. a vietnemese saying

So now your on the defence? and all allong I thought lies where offensve.

[Somali_Friend]

Shouldn't you know more of whats happening in Somalia southern than I am expected to know?

 

You can tell me if there are fartaag "news" from the usual source ICU.

[me]

Are we gathering intelligence now and spreading propoganda at the same time? They are asking too much of you. Are you sure you can hanle all that?