PM Announces Diesel Truck Import Ban

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced a nationwide ban on importing diesel-powered trucks starting October 2, as Ethiopia shifts to a gas-fueled transport system. He said 2,000 buses in Addis Ababa and on inter-regional routes will convert to gas, reducing transport costs by 50% next year. The announcement coincides with the launch of the Ogaden LNG project, part of a broader industrial reform plan that includes new fertilizer and oil refinery plants in the Somali Region.