Ethiopia Leads the Way in Banning Gasoline Cars, promoting “Green Transport”

Dew Briefs:

Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, is taking the lead in banning internal combustion cars, opting for only electric vehicles to curb reliance on imported fossil fuels. Unlike other countries, Ethiopia is implementing this measure immediately. Minister Alemu Sime has confirmed the decision, but details of the ban are yet to be revealed.

Diver insights:

• Ethiopia spends a lot on importing fossil fuels, with over half going towards fueling vehicles.
• The Transport and Logistics Ministries of Ethiopia have announced that only electric vehicles will be allowed in the country.
• Ethiopia is taking immediate action to ban combustion engine cars, unlike other countries with target years.
• Minister Alemu Sime revealed that the Logistics Master Plan is complete, but details are limited.
• Minister Sime stressed the importance of implementing new practices and promoting “Green Transport” in Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is taking a significant step towards reducing its reliance on fossil fuels by becoming the first country to ban internal combustion cars. Last year, the country spent a substantial amount of money, approximately $6 billion, on importing fossil fuels, with more than half of that expenditure going towards fueling vehicles.

In response to this, the Transport and Logistics Ministries of Ethiopia have made an announcement stating that only electric vehicles will be allowed to enter the country. While other nations, including some European Union member states, have set a target of banning combustion engine cars by 2035, Ethiopia is taking immediate action.

Alemu Sime, the Ethiopian Minister for Transport and Logistics, recently revealed the completion of the nation’s Logistics Master Plan. Although specific details are limited, Minister Sime confirmed that the decision to only permit electric vehicles into Ethiopia has been made. He also emphasized the implementation of new practices in strategic affairs and discussed the Ministry’s initiatives for promoting “Green Transport” throughout the country.

Minister Sime highlighted the importance of establishing charging stations for electric cars and acknowledged that the nation’s limited access to favorable foreign exchange resources has hindered its ability to afford continued imports of gasoline and diesel.

• Ethiopia, in particular, takes pride in its independence and is one of the few countries in Africa to resist colonial takeover.
• It is interesting to consider if Ethiopia sees itself as a leader in Africa in terms of resisting colonialism.
• Ethiopia has the opportunity to make a significant statement regarding charging infrastructure.
• Despite being a big fan of electric vehicles, it is acknowledged that some markets, including Ethiopia, may not be ready for a charging infrastructure at the moment.