After listening to the EBCโs editorialist below, as well as reading papers from some Ethiopian analysts, I felt both disappointed and offended. Indeed, for so long and under the leadership of President Guelleh, I have been fortunate to have and I continue to serve an outstanding regional leader and a wise man who has always worked for regional and continental economic integration and collective wellbeing.
President IOG has given his all to make exemplary, this community of destiny of the HoA (Horn of Africa), and particularly in crafting this exceptional relationship and win-win partnership between Djibouti & Ethiopia.
The EBC's World comments cannot but appeal to any wise observer of our regional geopolitics.
In another way, let me emphasize quickly as bellow:
1- I don't want to dwell on the rationality of the argument, I'll leave that to others.
2- However, the false figures of billions of dollars ยซ paid to Djibouti ยป and often putted forward by our Ethiopian friends do not correspond to any reality.
Indeed, The bulk of the costs of Transit via Djibouti corridor (including the cost of ports Handling charges) is more linked to
- Hinterland transportation cost, 99% of the Transports market controlled by Ethiopian Transports Compagnies.
-Cost of Ethiopian forwarding agents is anytime Superior than the one of Djiboutian Forwarders.
- The commission charged by Ethiopian Shipping Lines for each and every Container is almost equivalent to the cost of the Shipping Lines (just as a matter of fact, ESL is only chartering slots of Major Shipping principals and not transporting by its own vessels). Should we consider that commission as a net profit to ESL?
3- Comparison for comparison, the THC (Terminal Handling Charges) paid by goods for Djibouti Imports is more than 4 times expensive than that paid for goods in transit to Ethiopia. In another terms, Ethiopians have more privileges than our own Djiboutian fellows.
4- Djibouti Corridor Roads, which are currently under rehabilitation, are very often and rapidly deteriorated, due to the poor policy or lack of axle load standards respect.
overloaded trucks (compared to those of the COMESA or EAC region) is a source of rapid deterioration of roads Infrastrutures.
Meanwhile, I must confess also that we were not enough proactive in the maintenance program of the roads as well as in the discipline of axels load rules. And I do understand the frustration from drivers (this must be corrected in the future).
I don't want to get into a pointless and unnecessary debate, However, I am disappointed that the EBC World presentation makes no mention of the fact that Djibouti's ports world-renowned performance have enabled Ethiopia's economic transformation and the Competitiveness of the Ethiopian economy, over the past two decades.
If Ethiopia's continued double-digit growth is appreciated by the whole world (me first), we firmly believe that Djibouti's ports and corridor have been able to meet the needs of our neighbor and principal partner, with great sacrifice.
Finally, would like to mention & reappraise the joint investments made by these two sister countries, which over the past decade have exceeded or to be exceeded $10 billion. These Co-Investments are not the fruits of amateurism, but rather a shared vision of our leaders, and the aspirations of a shared regional communities of destiny.
Now more than ever, our region needs more togetherness, more economic integration, more mutual respect and, above all, more peace and stability among Brother ms & Sisters, in order to reap the rewards of collective regional development.And fight collectively against our common enemy ยซ Poverty ยป.
And not the opposite Pathway.
Please Note:This tweet is on my own and not engaging the Gov. Itโs about my personal feelings & sentiments. Soon I will share exact figures as far as the subject is made public.
So Please STOP NONSENSE. Djiboutiโs ports are not source of lack of competitiveness.
likely legit - TPLF told its army, post Pretoria, that their new strategy is to work with US incl. on Red Sea issue (*as Tsadkan wanted) but its soldiers are tired of war. 
