Addis Ababa, June 4, 2020 (FBC) – The Ministry of Transport today launched the construction of Dewele cross-border truck terminal that provides COVID-19 testing and screening as well as others services to drivers.
The construction of another terminal, Galafi cross-border truck terminal at the border area of Afar region state will also commence soon, it was noted.
Located along Djibouti and Ethiopian Somali border, the Dewele cross-border truck terminal is being built in response to mitigating the spread of COVID-19.
The terminal, which is expected to accommodate 200 trucks at a time, will provide parking services for Ethiopian trucks moving to and from Djibouti.
It will consume about 170 million birr and be completed in a month, according to ENA.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Minister of Transport, Dagmawit Moges said the terminal will play a pivotal role to curb the spread of COVID-19 across borders.
With the increase of COVID-19 in neighbouring countries and Ethiopia, it is crucial to tighten control and build mitigation capacities in border areas, she stressed.
According to the minister, over 1,200 cross-border trucks enter the country through Galafi and Dewele routes. The movement requires attention in order “to protect the safety of our drivers and halt the pandemic at borders.”
The major import-export of Ethiopia passes through this route, Dagmawit said, adding the government has therefore given attention to mitigate the effect of the virus on the import-export trade of the country.
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