USAID-ERRA has committed US$550,000 towards the development and implementation of an integrated Fleet Management System (iFMS) along the Ethio-Djibouti corridor. Spearheaded by Smartwatch Solutions Ltd and supervised by the Ethiopian Ministry of Transport and Logistics, this project will optimize fleet operations along this critical corridor, through which 95% of all trade flows.

This new system ensures that each truck shares its location data with the Ministry of Transport and Logistics so that they can have an overall view of the transport corridor and target bottlenecks accordingly. By increasing the transparency of truck movements, the iFMS aims not only to decrease truck turnaround times—from 12 days to 6 days—but also to improve road safety and lower CO2 emissions through improved regulation of truck driving speeds and fuel consumption.

Present at the signing event to commence this project, Amber Lily Kenny, Director, Office of Economic Growth and Resilience, USAID Ethiopia, highlighted the transformative potential of the iFMS, emphasizing its role in promoting food security. “USAID is proud to support this innovative tool. After it is launched later this year, we expect that both the public and private sectors will quickly see the value in utilizing this platform to increase the availability of food, fertilizer, and related goods across Ethiopia.”