Remarks by Ambassador Tan Jian at the Ceremony of
Commercial Operation of the Addis Ababa Djibouti Railway
(1 January 2018, Addis Ababa)
Your Excellency Mr Ahmed Shide, Minister of Transport,
Your Excellency Dr Ing Seleshi Bekele, Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Board Chairman of ERC,
Your Excellency Mr Girma Amente, Minister of Public Enterprises,
Your Excellency Mr Mehammed Edriss Farah, Ambassador of Djibouti,
Distinguished Representatives of Corporations from China and Ethiopia,
Distinguished Guests, Friends of Media, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Melkam Addis Amet!
新年好!
Happy New Year!
Today is the first day of 2018. Here we are, gathering to celebrate the commercial operation of the Addis Ababa to Djibouti Railway -- the crystallization of the cooperation among China, Ethiopia and Djibouti. First of all, I wish to extend my warm congratulations to the government and people of Ethiopia and Djibouti; to the employer Ethiopian Railway Corporation, the contractors CREC, CCECC, and the Project Management Consultant CIECC. I also wish to express my sincere thanks to all the staff participated in the construction. Many Chinese engineers and workers have been working on this land for years, leaving behind their family members back in China. Thank you very much.
Today is a big day. Let me to say a few words on the significance of this railway. There is a saying in China: 要致富,先修路, which means, to get rich, one must be reachable, by building a road or rail -- as simple as that. Ethiopia is a landlocked least developed country. This railway, 758 km long with a contract investment of US$3.8 billion, links the capital city of Ethiopia to Djibouti seaport. It is the first trans-boundary and the longest electrified rail in the Africa continent. And the Addis to Djibouti Railway is more than transportation. It is also about improving business environment, about developing the economic corridor. A lot of industry parks have been built along the line. This railway will contribute to the industrialization of Ethiopia, contribute to the implementation of the Growth and Transformation Plan.
It can and will make a big difference!
Distinguished Guests,
Today marks a water shedding between construction and operation. It goes without saying that we may have some challenges in the coming months after we start to transport people and freight, challenges like the stable supply of electricity, the safety and security along the railway. But I am quite confident that we can overcome the difficulties. My optimism is based on A: the good relation among the three countries; and B: the spirit of cooperation between the Chinese companies and their Ethiopia counterparts. The Chinese companies stand ready to share technology know how and expertise, help develop human resources and build capacity in the railway area.
China, Ethiopia and Djibouti will cooperate closely to make the railway management a success.
The Addis Ababa to Djibouti Railway is an early harvest project of the Belt and Road Initiative. In advancing the Belt and Road initiative, we are guided by the principle of planning together; building together, benefit together. This Railway a rail of development; a rail of cooperation; and a rail of friendship. It is a flagship project and the single largest cooperation project between China and Ethiopia.
Our cooperation could be a role model of south-south cooperation.
The Chinese government supports the Chinese companies in fulfilling their contract obligations and working closely with EDR to fully bring out the benefits of the rail. China will continue to support the railway development in Ethiopia, assisting the building of the railway academy. China will continue to encourage Chinese businessmen to invest in Ethiopia.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
January the first is an auspicious day.
Let's join hands and work together to make the operation of this railway a smooth running.
Let's make 2018 the year of fruitful cooperation between China and Ethiopia.
Wish you all the best in 2018!
Thank you very much.