The climate crisis is forcing countries to take measures to ameliorate the damage to the environment. Ethiopia has already made a bold move by taking a clear stand regarding cars that run on fossil fuels. The African country has decided to ban the importing of cars that run on gasoline (or “petrol,” as it’s referred to in most of Africa). The gates to Ethiopia will only be opened for importing electric vehicles.
Ethiopia says ‘no’ to polluting vehicles
Although African countries may be lagging in some economic aspects, they are ahead in the race to strive for a better future. Ethiopia is the first country on this continent to repudiate the entrance of cars that run on gas in favor of electric ones. The decision is a challenge for the country’s economy and infrastructure.
Allowing for the import of electric cars only entails taking measures for the country to be ready to shift from gas to electricity. Alemu Sime Feyisa, the Transportation Minister, stated that charging stations would be constructed across the country, in support of the government’s ban on cars that are not electric.
The reasons behind the ban
The reasons behind Ethiopia’s drastic decision are mainly two. Firstly, the country paid around $6 billion last year for oil. The budget spent on fuel takes up a huge portion of their imports. Additionally, the scarce foreign currency reserve makes it difficult to cover the expenses, not to mention the ups and downs of exchange rates. Ethiopia imports most of its oil, and the task is a headache.
Secondly, like many other countries, Ethiopia also wants to board the green train. We are all acquainted with the damaging effects of fossil fuel burning, and cars are one of the major sources of contamination. The surprising element of Ethiopia’s decision is that it is ahead of many European countries in terms of switching to electric cars.
The green agenda
Ethiopia may be dragging its feet when it comes to many requirements to qualify as a developed nation. They have a low per capita income, the literacy rate is almost half of the population, and poverty is soaring. Human rights could use some improvement, and there is a high rate of ethnic discrimination.
However, it has a surprisingly progressive environmental agenda. It mostly relies on renewable sources to obtain its energy, especially hydropower. The wind and the sun are also significant sources. Ethiopia is also cranking up the dial on building infrastructure for environmentally friendly projects.
What is the government doing to support the measure?
In a bid to back their ban on non-electric vehicles and encourage the population to switch to electric cars, the government is exempting taxes on the latter type of cars and replacing their fuel-run buses with electric ones. In 2022, Addis Ababa, the capital of the country, purchased 110 electric buses, and the public response to them has been very positive.
Additionally, although most of the investment for charging stations is private, the state is planning to contribute by building 1,000 of these stations by 2027. This represents one of the biggest challenges, since a lot of users are afraid to leave the capital in case they cannot find charging stations. Setting up a network to support electric cars entails a huge investment of both time and money.
Ethiopia is ahead in the race of African countries that went electric, it is even beating most European nations. The government is working on setting the scene to support the transition from gas to electricity in a bid to encourage users to take the leap. Although the decision is ambitious, it is a definite plus in terms of ecology.