The Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway Photo: Courtesy of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation

A celebration event was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Wednesday local time to mark the fifth anniversary of the opening of the Chinese-built Addis Ababa-Djibouti railway, said China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, the constructor and operator of the project, in a statement sent to the Global Times.

The electrified railway, which is also known as the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway, is a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The 752-kilometer transnational railway is Africa's first fully electrified trans-boundary railway and it contributes to regional integration and the betterment of communities.

Every day, trains depart from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, arriving in the port of Djibouti just over six hours later, which has greatly enhanced connectivity and local economic development.

Since the railway went into commercial operation in 2018, the number of passengers has continued to increase, and the transportation revenue has maintained an average annual growth rate of more than 35 percent.

From construction to operation, the project has provided 55,000 jobs for locals in Ethiopia and Djibouti and trained more than 3,000 railway professionals, including 107 local train drivers.

The railway also served as a lifeline for Ethiopia and Djibouti, against the backdrop of fluctuation in the international crude oil market and the pandemic.

When gas stations were out of oil supply and road transportation was basically stagnant due to the soaring price of international crude oil, the rail line gave full play to the advantages of electrification and helped to transport essential goods such as cooking oil and chemical fertilizer.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the railway maintained smooth operation and also transported various epidemic prevention materials.

Global Times