The Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA) has signed an agreement with three companies to construct roads in different parts of the country.
The agreement was signed by Sisay Bekele, acting Director of ERA; Le Chuan, General Manager of the China Railway Seventh Group Limited Company; Zu Yong Sheng, General Manager of China’s First High Way Engineering Limited Company; and Wolday Berihe, the Defence Construction Enterprise General Manager. The construction costs come to 4.8 billion Birr and all the costs are to be covered by the Ethiopian government.
At the signing ceremony, Sisay Bekele said that the agreement is signed based on the government’s planned Fourth Road Development Project, which would enable it to standardize currently functioning roads in different parts of the country. According to Sisay, the Sodo Tercha, Omo River Tercha, Gash-Lalibela-Sekota and Dicheto-Galafi, Elidar-Belho roads will be covered.
The Sodo Tercha Asphalt Road Project, which covers 83.4 kilometres, will be constructed by China Railway Company. The government has allocated 1,674,383,031.77 Birr for the project and selection of the project consultant company is underway. The project will be completed in 42 months.
The Gash and Lalibela-Sekota Asphalt Road Project, which covers 98.7 kilometres, will be constructed by China First High Way Engineering Limited Company for a Government-allocated 2,042,059,919.33 Birr and the consultancy work will be carried out by Best Consultant Engineers International Organization. The construction work comprises various drainage systems and other structural works and will end within 39 months.
The third project is going to take place in the North Eastern part of Ethiopia’s Afar State. The Dicheto-Galafi and Elidar-Beliho road project covers 80.5 kilometres and 63.5 kilometres respectively, of which 17 km will be asphalt while the rest is cement concrete rigid pavement.
The project will be carried out by the local Defense Construction Company and will be completed within 1,170 days. For this project, the government has allocated 2,663,664,021.75 Birr.
The completed project will be expected to enhance the nation’s import and export trade by reaching the new Djibouti, Tajura and Asseb ports.
