The Ayisha-Berbera Port Railway project aims to establish a new, critical railway corridor linking Ethiopia's existing Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) network to the deep-water port of Berbera in Somaliland. This initiative is a cornerstone of Ethiopia's broader strategy to enhance its port access, reduce dependency on a single corridor (Djibouti), and significantly boost its international trade volume.
The proposed railway line will span an estimated 310 kilometers. Of this length, roughly 60 kilometers will lie within Ethiopian territory, connecting from Ayisha (a station already on the Ethio-Djibouti SGR line in Ethiopia's Somali region). The remaining 250 kilometers will traverse through Somaliland territory, extending directly to the rapidly expanding Berbera Port.
The project envisions the construction of a standard gauge railway line, ensuring compatibility with the existing Addis Ababa-Djibouti SGR to allow for seamless freight and potentially passenger movement.
