Chinese-contracted expressway starts construction in eastern Ethiopia

Dancers perform during the launching ceremony of the construction of the Mieso-Dire Dawa Expressway, in Dire Dawa, eastern Ethiopia, on Aug. 19, 2025. The construction of the Mieso-Dire Dawa Expressway, a major infrastructure project within the Ethio-Djibouti Transport Corridor, was launched on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Han Xu)