Addis Ababa (ANN)- The Ministry of Transport and Logistics has unveiled plans to broaden regional bus services linking the country with Kenya, Djibouti and Somaliland, in a bid to strengthen cross-border mobility and economic ties across the region.
The announcement came as the State Minister Bareo Hassen met with Abyssinia Legacy Coaches’ owners and management in Nairobi, highlighting the government’s commitment to expanding cross-border connectivity.
According to the report written birrmetrics the state minister outlined that the initiative, scheduled for the 2025/26 fiscal year, aims to integrate public and private transport operations, ensuring compliance with regulatory frameworks while facilitating seamless service. He emphasized the ministry’s readiness to work with private operators to fast-track operational readiness and put the necessary legal and procedural arrangements in place.
Abyssinia Legacy Coaches owner Michael James expressed interest in launching services connecting Nairobi and Addis Ababa. He detailed plans to deploy locally sourced vehicles and align operations with public transport standards to guarantee efficient and reliable service.
The initiative comes against a backdrop of persistent regional connectivity challenges. Limited cross-border bus services, inconsistent regulatory frameworks, and insufficient integration between government and private operators have historically constrained mobility and trade in the region. Ethiopia’s push to expand bus networks is therefore seen as a strategic effort to improve passenger movement, facilitate trade, and foster economic cooperation across East Africa.
Officials described the programme as part of a broader strategy to combine government oversight with private sector capacity—a model increasingly viewed as essential for sustainable regional infrastructure development and the wider East African transport agenda.