A century on, Ethiopia's French-built railway remains vital for residents

Name: A century on, Ethiopia's French-built railway remains vital for residents
Uploaded: 2023-02-13T18:45:13+00:00
Duration: P180S
Description: In Dire Dawa, in eastern Ethiopia, commuters still use the 'Franco-Ethiopian Railway' built over a century ago by the French. The old track remains

Credit: AFP English

Duration: 03:00s 13 Feb 2023 0 shares 2 views

A century on, Ethiopia's French-built railway remains vital for residents

In Dire Dawa, in eastern Ethiopia, commuters still use the 'Franco-Ethiopian Railway' built over a century ago by the French.

The old track remains indispensable for trade and transport, even with the recent arrival of a modern, Chinese-built line.

Twice a week, passengers and cargo pile into carriages dating back to 1955 to make the 12-hour, 200-kilometre (125-mile) journey by diesel locomotive from Dire Dawa to Dewele, on the border of Djibouti.

A century on, Ethiopia's French-built railway remains vital for residents

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