Promoting Regional Economic Integration in the Horn of Africa through the Development of the Djibouti Corridor
Implementation Partners
Government of Ethiopia, Government of Djibouti, customs authorities, port authorities, corridor management institutions, standards and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agencies, logistics associations, private-sector organisations and development partners.
Implementation Period
July 2022 - December 2027
Project Participants
Exporters (notably horticulture and agri-exports), logistics service providers, freight forwarders, customs and border agencies, port and rail operators, traders (including women traders), and corridor communities
Funding Partner
European Union through Agence Française de Développement
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€ 32 Million
Project Rationale
The Ethiopia-Djibouti Corridor is a major trade gateway in the Horn of Africa. According to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, 95% of Ethiopia’s exports and 80% of its imports transit through Djibouti’s ports,1 underpinning Ethiopia’s access to international markets and Djibouti’s logistics-led economy. The corridor is central to regional economic integration and supports the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and Ethiopia’s WTO accession process.
Despite this strategic importance, corridor performance has historically been constrained by:
- Long transit and clearance times
- Fragmented border procedures
- Manual and duplicative documentation systems
- Weak coordination between agencies and countries
- Limited interoperability of customs and trade systems
- Road infrastructure gaps
The programme addresses these systemic constraints by strengthening trade systems, including but not limited to infrastructure development at specific nodes on the corridor, transit policies, digital systems such as electronic cargo tracking and capacity building to deliver faster, simpler and more predictable trade.
1 Organisation internationale de la Francophonie (OIF), Mission économique de la Francophonie à Djibouti, 6–8 octobre 2026, 2026, p. 4, Mission brochure.
Emerging Results
Corridor Governance and Coordination
Digital Trade Systems Expanded
Regional Trade Integration
Export Competitiveness and SPS Compliance
Digital Learning and Knowledge Systems EHPEA’s HortiCampus and HortiLibrary digital learning platforms have strengthened access to export-readiness and compliance training across Ethiopia’s horticulture sector. As of July 2026, the platform had: o More than 30 digital courses developed and deployed; o Over 1,000 learners enrolled; o More than 1,300 certificates issued; and o Provided over 200 technical publications and knowledge resources, strengthening technical capacity, compliance and export readiness across the sector. WTO Trade Facilitation and Institutional Reforms
Logistics Sector Capacity
Women in Trade
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Implementation Strategy
Objective 1: Corridor Efficiency and Systems Integration
- Improve port productivity and intermodal connectivity measures
- Establish interoperability between port, customs and logistics systems
- Strengthen management of key nodes: Djibouti Port, Galafi border and Ethiopian dry ports
- Develop systems for monitoring corridor performance and emissions
- Develop a Corridor Performance Observatory to monitor corridor efficiency and emissions
- Promote green freight and climate-smart logistics
- Support implementation of the Electric Road Freight Action Plan
Objective 2: Trade and Regulatory Harmonisation
- Domesticate regional trade regulatory frameworks and harmonise standards and sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) systems for priority traded goods.
- Reduce non-tariff barriers and Technical Barriers to trade
- Digitise trade-related commercial procedures
- Support implementation of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement
- Support Ethiopia’s WTO accession
- Support implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area
Objective 3: Export and Logistics Competitiveness
- Strengthen logistics services competitiveness
- Improve private sector capacity to meet export standards in sectors with strong comparative advantage (e.g. horticulture, fish)
- Strengthen compliance with international sanitary and phytosanitary requirements
- Support False Codling Moth surveillance and EU market compliance
- Expand professional logistics certification through FIATA-accredited programmes
- Strengthen digital learning through the EHPEA e-learning platform
Objective 4: Inclusive Trade
- Build the capacity of women traders and SMEs to participate in trade
- Support for small traders at the border and potential losers of facilitation reforms
- Strengthen implementation of the Safe Trade Regime
- Improve access to formal trading systems and trade information
