The Addis Ababa-Adama expressway is the first expressway in Ethiopia, and it is of the highest grade in East Africa. The road was built with financing support from the Chinese government and using Chinese technology and standards.
Connecting Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa to its second largest city Adama, the expressway facilitates the movement of people, improves transportation efficiency, and enhances Ethiopia's ability to attract foreign investment. With a design speed of 120 kilometers per hour, the six-lane expressway has shortened the travel time from 2.5 hours to 45 minutes. The two phases of the construction of the 100-kilometer-long road were completed in May 2014 and August 2016.
In addition to extensive use of local labor, the project's Chinese contractor brought technical and managerial expertise to Ethiopia, contributing to its capability in infrastructure development.
