The East African nation of Ethiopia is hoping to inaugurate its first and very own city rail system in 2015. The Addis Ababa Light Railway Transit, being constructed with loans obtained mainly from the Export-Import Bank of China, is hugely anticipated to ease the chronic transportation woes of Ethiopia's congested capital.

The 127-year-old city of Addis Ababa (the name means "new flower" in the local Amharic language) is home to more than 3 million residents and major international and regional organizations, including the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.

Addis is currently among the 10 fastest growing cities in Sub-Saharan Africa, with skyscrapers and residential buildings being constructed on every corner and block. Rural residents are also flocking to the city and looking for better opportunities. However, the city's growth has outgrown the transportation system.

Currently, only one state-owned bus company, the Anbessa City Bus Service Enterprise, provides public transport in the city and the surrounding areas. However, Anbessa has a fleet of only 524 buses. Besides, there are 9,200 privately owned mini-bus taxis that can seat 11 people each, 462 midi-buses with 27 seats each, and 4,000 saloon taxis that can take five each. All these are incapable of efficiently serving the city's growing population and the poor access network and fractured traffic flow result in high rates of traffic accidents.

Faced with this scenario the government came up with a plan to construct the light railway as part of its five-year growth plan.

The China Railway Group Ltd. is undertaking the construction of the $475-million light railway. The 34-km railway will run north to south of the city as well as from west to east. Ethiopian transport officials say the network will have the capacity to transport 15,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Yehualaeshet Jemere, Chief Officer of the light railway's construction and project execution department, said the growth of freight and passenger volumes in all corridors of the city necessitated the construction of the light railway.

"The strong political will and commitment from the government has been instrumental in the implementation of the project. The rapid growth of the economy also enabled the country to shoulder part of the financing in addition to positive response from development partners," he said.

The Addis Ababa Light Railway Transit underlines how much China is involved in Ethiopia's economic growth. On his visit in May 2014, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang affirmed that China will provide a $4-billion loan for the Ethiopia-Djibouti rail. The project will connect Addis Ababa to Djibouti Port, the most significant sea outlet for landlocked Ethiopia, accounting for 98 percent of its foreign trade. Li also took part in the official track-laying ceremony of the Addis Ababa Light Railway Transit during his visit. 

The transport policy of Addis Ababa states that providing a "comfortable, safe, dependable, efficient, equitable transport service" for the city is a condition to accelerate its development.

"In order to accomplish these needs, key policy issues and implementation strategies are being developed. That includes integration of land use and transport planning, expansion of transport infrastructure, enhancing transport service provisions and employing an integrated and modern traffic management system," the transport policy reads.

Brook Zerihun, a resident of Addis Ababa, has high hopes that the light railway will ease the city's transport problems. "Most of the city's residents, including myself, can't wait to see the rail system becoming operational," he said, adding "it is going to be the new big thing in town."

With Chinese firms involved in everything from information and communications technology to the construction of special economic zones, manufacturing and renewable energy development, it is clear that China's presence in Ethiopia is going to become more prominent.

During his visit, Premier Li hinted that China's cooperation with Ethiopia is increasing. So if the China-backed Addis-Adama Expressway, the Addis-Djibouti rail project and the Addis Ababa Light Railway Transit are anything to go by, the tracks have been firmly laid for long-term ties.

(Reporting from Ethiopia)