Major Corridor Investment Linking Ethiopia to East African Ports

[Deeq A.]

Major Corridor Investment Linking Ethiopia to East African Ports

The European Union has identified Ethiopia as a pivotal country in its push to finance African transport corridors, with a priority route connecting Addis Ababa to Djibouti, Berbera, Nairobi and Dar es Salaam singled out for investment.

A 2025 report by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre ranks the corridor among eleven African routes considered most attractive for infrastructure funding under Global Gateway, the EU’s 300 billion euro programme to reinforce global supply chains.

For Ethiopia, which channels more than 90 percent of its trade through Djibouti’s port, the assessment highlights opportunities to diversify access to international markets. The proposed corridor would lower costs, ease congestion and provide alternative outlets through Berbera in Somaliland and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.

The study notes that improvements in transport and accessibility would deliver the fastest returns, while digitalisation remains the weakest link. Connectivity gaps in broadband and fibre networks continue to constrain efficiency, though integration with road and rail projects could help bridge these shortcomings. Productivity gains were found to cluster around major urban hubs, while rural and remote areas remain underserved.

The report does not recommend specific projects, but concludes that all eleven corridors carry “promising potential” if investment is carefully directed. For Addis Ababa, the initiative signals a new phase in infrastructure diplomacy that could reshape the way the country connects to the wider region.

Source Birrmetrics

Qaran News