新时期的“坦赞铁路”—非洲首条中国建造的亚吉铁路宣布建成

The 752.7 km electrified railway connecting the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa and the port of Djibouti was inaugurated Wednesday at a ceremony in Addis Ababa.

此条电气化铁路全长为752.7千米，将埃塞俄比亚首都亚的斯亚贝巴与吉布提港连接起来，铁路建成仪式于本周三在亚的斯亚贝巴举行。

Speaking to Xinhua on the day, Arkebe Oqubay, Special Advisor to the Ethiopian Prime Minister, said that the route is an important import-export corridor for Ethiopia.

埃塞俄比亚总理特别顾问阿尔卡贝·奥克贝在接受新华社采访时指出此铁路路线是埃塞俄比亚一条重要的进出口通道。

"It will have a significant contribution to the country’s economic development because of the impact of this corridor on boosting cargos for international export trade... This will improve the competitiveness of industries in Ethiopia," he noted.

奥克贝强调“此铁路对于国家的经济发展有着至关重要的贡献，因为此铁路通道对于促进货物国际出口贸易影响深远 。。。它将提高埃塞俄比亚产业的竞争力”。

Offering both passenger and freight services, the railway has a designed speed of 120 km per hour, and is capable of slashing travel time between Addis Ababa and Djibouti from 7 days on roads to about 10 hours.

此铁路的设计时速为每小时120千米，可同时提供客运和货运双重服务。铁路的速度之快使得亚的斯亚贝巴与吉布提之间的路程从7天大幅度减少至10小时。

Oqubay said the project further strengthened friendship and cooperation between Ethiopia and China.

奥克贝指出此项目进一步加强了埃塞俄比亚和中国之间的友谊和合作。

"This represents economic ties and strategic partnership between Ethiopia and China," the official said, adding that the project would enable technology transfer from the Chinese to Ethiopians and Djiboutians.

奥克贝指出“此项目代表了埃塞俄比亚和中国之间的经济纽带和战略合作关系”，并补充说此项目将会使埃塞俄比亚和吉布提学习到先进的中国铁路技术，实现技术转移。

"This is the first railway line which is electric powered in Africa. Ethiopians and Djiboutians will be able to acquire knowhow and management skills which will help us also to manage the other corridors," he added.

奥克贝继续补充说“这条铁路是非洲首个电气化铁路。埃塞俄比亚和吉布提将能够获得专门技术和管理技术，这两项技术也将帮助必赢成功的管理其他铁路通道。”

"Today, this project is being inaugurated after construction period of less than four years. In relation to many other projects, this is really quite fast project," he said.

奥克贝指出“在经历了至少四年的时间之后，今天，必赢在这里共同庆祝此条铁路的建成。与许多其它的项目相比，此项目建成的速度非常快。”