By APA-ADDIS ABABA (ETHIOPIA)
The Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics announced on Tuesday that it will only allow the entry of electric vehicles into the country. The ministry made this announcement during the presentation of a semi-annual performance report to the standing committee on urban development and transport of the House of People’s Representatives (Ethiopian Parliament).
Alemu Sime, the Minister of Transport and Logistics, revealed the completion of Ethiopia’s logistics master plan, which envisions the implementation of “green transportation” in the East African country.
“A decision has been made that cars can only enter Ethiopia if they are electric,” stated Mr. Sime. However, the potential challenge lies in a significant portion of the Ethiopian population being able to afford electric cars, considering the negligible percentage of the population capable of owning a car.
He also explained that efforts were underway to establish charging stations for electric cars. One of the reasons for this decision is Ethiopia’s inability to import gasoline due to its limited foreign currency resources, according to the minister.
The effective date of the policy is not clear, and it is not specified whether vehicles in transit from abroad are subject to the new policy.
According to a report, the Ethiopian government introduced value-added tax (VAT), excise tax, and surtax exemptions for electric cars in 2022.
To address sector challenges such as road accidents, the ministry emphasized the need for coordination and collaboration with stakeholders to conduct thorough inspections and follow-ups to resolve issues in the transportation sector.
MG/abj/fss/te/APA
