Ethiopia has begun looking for a company to restart work on a $1.7bn railway connecting the country’s eastern and northern regions, website Railway Supply reports.
The 392km Awash–Hara Gebeya project was being carried out by Turkish contractor Yapi Merkezi and French consultant Systra with finance from the Turkish Export-Import Bank and Credit Suisse.
As well as the track, the work included 10 substations, 12 tunnels, more than 50 bridges, eight power stations and a repair and maintenance depot.
The railway was intended to link the high-speed Addis Ababa–Djibouti line to the Mekelle–Tajura line in the north of the country.
Work began in 2015 but was suspended in 2020 when war broke out between the federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front. This conflict came to an end in 2022.
The cancellation led to an arbitration case. This was heard in London last summer and has not yet been resolved. According to Ethiopian website The Reporter, Yapi Merkezi is claiming $1bn and the Ethiopian Railway Corporation is seeking $1.6bn in compensation.
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I am really moved by the news and the direction of the government to begin the railway project which had been suspended due to the unnecessary war costs both side in billions of dollars and in hundreds of thousands of innocents children, women and elderly. What I currently witnessing is really moving not only those of us who directly benefit but also other neighboring countries who eventually link with it. I also recommend the project to acquire an international attention due to its vast benefit to locals who could directly attribute positively in to their reach. I had lived there in younger age so I figuratively aware of the situation well. I would also believe that if this particular railway extend to countries like Asmara, Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia to Kenya, the benefit becomes immense to all countries within East Africa countries.
Good information.