Newsletter Subscription

The contract for the road project was awarded to China Tiesju Civil Engineering Group Co in January this year. The project is estimated to cost 2.4 billion Birr (approx. US$59.36 million). The period of construction works is expected to last four years.

The cost of the project is to be covered by the African Development Bank (AfDB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the government of Ethiopia.

The launch ceremony took place in Chida town on 23 February. In addition to the Prime Minister, the ceremony was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, and other members of the cabinet.

The 80km road starts at the junction for Jimma – Mizan Roads at the out skirt of Jimma town which is about 346km South West of Addis Ababa (the capital city of Ethiopia), and ends in Chida town. The scope of work involves upgrading the existing Jimma-Chida road section to an all-weather high standard asphalt surfaced road with a wide carriageway.

In March of last year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a loan agreement with the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. This deal was to provide a Japanese ODA loan of up to 9.655 billion Yen (US$90.5 million) for the Ethiopia Integrated Transport Program Phase I: Jimma-Chida and Sodo-Sawla Road Upgrading Project (Jimma-Chida Section).

On completion of the project, the road will help coffee and fruit farmers in the region supply their products to local and global markets more easily. The road will also allow tourists to travel to Chebera Churchura National Park.

Top Photo: Addis Ababa–Adama Expressway (Ji-Elle | Wikimedia Commons)

Related News:

• Ethiopia: 6 Firms Vie To Supervise Construction of 3.5bn Birr Road
• China Tiesiju Civil Engineering Group awarded contract for road project in Ethiopia
• Ethiopia Construction Market News