2072-64142411-140610.17059/ekon.reg.2024-1-16The Role of Transport, ICT and Power Infrastructure in the Ethiopian EconomyРоль транспорта, информационно-коммуникационных технологий и энергетической инфраструктуры в экономике Эфиопииhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-9732-9926 Nagy Henrietta Надь Генриетта nagy.henrietta@uni-milton.huhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-6731-1303Abdulkadr Ahmed Abduletif АбдулкадрАхмед Абдулетиф ahmedabduletifabdulkadr@su.edu.ethttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0707-5403Neszmélyi György Iván Несмейи Дьёрдь Иван neszmelyi.gyorgy@uni-milton.huMilton Friedman UniversityУниверситет Милтона ФридманаHungarian University of Agriculture and Life SciencesВенгерский университет сельского хозяйства и естественных наук201235247Copyright © 2024 Henrietta Nagy, Ahmed Abduletif Abdulkadr, György Iván NeszmélyiCopyright © 2024 Генриетта Надь, Ахмед Абдулетиф Абдулкадр, Дьёрдь Иван Несмейи2024Henrietta Nagy, Ahmed Abduletif Abdulkadr, György Iván NeszmélyiГенриетта Надь, Ахмед Абдулетиф Абдулкадр, Дьёрдь Иван НесмейиCC BY 4.0https://www.economyofregions.org/ojs/index.php/er/article/view/837https://www.economyofregions.org/ojs/index.php/er/article/download/837/286

Infrastructure development plays an important role in reducing poverty, assuring food security and sustainable development of a country. One of the key challenges hindering the economic growth of developing countries is the lack of proper transport, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), and energy sector infrastructures. This research aims to examine the importance of transport, ICT and power sector in Ethiopia’s economic growth and identify the main challenges these sectors have been facing based on data obtained from different secondary sources such as websites of the World Bank and Trading Economics, official reports, and published works. Descriptive statistical analysis was implemented to describe the secondary data obtained, while graphs, tables, and charts were used to visualise the results. Despite the difficulties in establishing and sustaining necessary infrastructure, research indicates that the growth of Ethiopia’s economy is largely attributed to infrastructure development. Furthermore, year after year, progress has been made in each sector of development, though there are still obstacles to overcome. Poor quality of road, transport and ICT infrastructure have been key factors of poor development in the country. There is an imbalance between the power needed and the available power. Given Ethiopia’s abundance of resources, the country must continue to prioritise infrastructure development.

Создание инфраструктуры способствует снижению уровня бедности, а также обеспечению продовольственной безопасности и устойчивого развития. Одна из ключевых проблем, сдерживающих экономический рост развивающихся стран, — отсутствие необходимой транспортной и энергетической инфраструктуры, информационных и коммуникационных технологий. В статье проанализировано влияние транспорта, ИКТ и энергетического сектора на экономический рост Эфиопии, а также представлены основные проблемы, с которыми сталкиваются эти отрасли. С этой целью проанализированы данные из различных источников, таких как Всемирный банк, веб-сайт Trading Economics, официальные отчеты и опубликованные исследовательские работы. Для объяснения данных использован метод описательного статистического анализа; полученные результаты визуализированы в виде графиков, таблиц и диаграмм. Результаты показали, что экономика Эфиопии растет во многом благодаря развитию необходимой инфраструктуры, несмотря на трудности ее создания и обслуживания, которые еще предстоит преодолеть. Прогресс наблюдается в каждом исследуемом секторе. На данный момент низкое качество дорожной и ИКТ-инфраструктуры, а также дисбаланс между необходимой и доступной энергией являются определяющими факторами недостаточного развития страны. Учитывая обилие природных ресурсов в Эфиопии, правительству страны необходимо уделить приоритетное внимание развитию инфраструктуры.

road infrastructure, air infrastructure, transport, electricity, power, economic growth, Ethiopia, regional development, ICT, economic developmentдорожная инфраструктура, инфраструктура воздушного транспорта, транспорт, электричество, энергетика, экономический рост, Эфиопия, региональное развитие, ИКТ, экономическое развитиеAlemnew, T. (2015). Public Infrastructure Investment, Private Investment and Economic Growth in Ethiopia: Co-Integrated VAR Approach. Unpublished MSc Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/14934 Aschauer, D. (1989). Is public expenditure productive? Journal of Monetary Economics, 23 (2), 177-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(89)90047-0Bailey, M. (1975). Tanzania and China. African Affairs, 74 (294), 39-50. https://www.jstor.org/stable/720907?refreqid=excelsior%3A931aff4afcb51f598d998e983883479f Ball, P. (2015). The Cape to Cairo Railway Dream. http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/cape-cairo-railway-dream Bloom, D., Sachs J., Collier, P., & Udry, C. (1998). Geography, Demography, and Economic Growth in Africa. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 1998 (2), 207-295. https://doi.org/10.2307/2534695. Bogale, Y. A. (2012). Evaluating Transport Network Structure: Case Study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Unpublished MSc Thesis, University of Twente, the Netherlands. http://essay.utwente.nl/84786/1/bogale.pdf Brueckner, J. K. (2003). Airline Traffic and Urban Economic Development. Urban Studies, 40 (8), 1455–1469. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43100460Calderón, C., & Servén, L. (2008). Infrastructure and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Policy Research Working Paper 4712, The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/6988 Erdei-Késmárki-Gally, S., & Neszmélyi, Gy. I. (2017). Regional development in the world–China’s role in Africa. Romanian Review of Regional Studies, XIII (1), 13-26. https://rrrs.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/site/arhive/Artpdf/v13n12017/RRRS13120172.pdf Fan, S. & Rao N. (2003). Public Spending in Developing Countries: Trend, Determination and impact. EPTD Discussion Paper 99. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://ideas.repec.org/p/fpr/eptddp/99.html Foster, V. & Morella, E. (2011). Ethiopia’ s Infrastructure: A Continental Perspective. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27761Glied, V. (2008). Water conflicts in Africa. Afrika Tanulmányok [Hungarian Journal of African Studies], 2, 44-53. http://www.afrikatanulmanyok.hu/htmls/cikkek.html?articleID=718 (In Hung.) Gramlich, E. (1994) Infrastructure Investment: A Review Essay. Journal of Economic Literature, 32 (3), 1176-1196. https://clck.ru/3RaSmN Green, R. K. (2007). Airports and Economic Development. Real Estate Economics, 35 (1), 91-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6229.2007.00183.x Gwilliam, K. (2011). Africa’s Transport Infrastructure: Mainstreaming Maintenance and Management. The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2275 Hallaert, J. J, Cavazos-Cepeda, R. H., & Kang, G. (2011). Estimating the Constraints to Trade of Developing Countries. OECD Trade Policy Papers 116, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1874738 Handbook on Infrastructure Statistics. (2011). Africa Infrastructure Knowledge Program, 243. https://clck.ru/3RaTWL Hoyle, B. & Knowles, R. (1999). Modern Transport Geography. 2nd Edition, Wiley. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Modern+Transport+Geography%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9780471977773 Hu, Y., Xiao, J., Deng, Y., Xiao., Y., & Wang, S. (2015). Domestic Air Passenger Traffic and Economic Growth in China: Evidence from Heterogeneous Panel Models. Journal of Air Transport Management, 42, 95-100. https://clck.ru/3RaTZz Iimi, A., Humphreys, R. M., & Mchomvu, Y. E. (2017). Modal Choice between Rail and Road Transportation Evidence from Tanzania. Policy Research Working Paper 8174. https://clck.ru/3RaTdLJoumard, R. (1995). Transport and air pollution 1994: some conclusions. Science of the Total Environment, 169 (1–3), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(95)04730-O Kessides, C. (1993). The contributions of infrastructure to economic development, A review of experience and policy implications. World Bank Discussion Papers 213, Washington D. C. https://doi.org/10.1596/0-8213-2628-7 Llano, C., De la Mata, T., Díaz-Lanchas, J., & Gallego, N. (2017). Transport-mode competition in intra-national trade: An empirical investigation for the Spanish case. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 95, 334-355. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transa/v95y2017icp334-355.html Mehmood, B., & Shahid, A. (2014). Aviation Demand and Economic Growth in the Czech Republic: Cointegration Estimation and Causality Analysis. Statistika: Statistics & Economy Journal, 94 (1), 54-63. https://doaj.org/article/3dc0a02194cd4ec088e25886da743d19 Mitsui, K., & Inoue, J. (1997). The Productivity Effect of Social Capital, Japanese Economy, 25 (3), 3–29. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JES1097-203X25033 Munnell, A. H. (1992) Policy Watch: Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 6, 189-198. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.6.4.189 Nagy, H., Neszmélyi, Gy. I., & Abdulkadr, A. A. (2019). The Role of Agricultural Production and Trade Integration in Sustainable Rural Development: Evidence From Ethiopia. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1042-1.ch021National Bank of Ethiopia. (2018). National Bank of Ethiopia Annual Report. Addis Ababa: National Bank of Ethiopia. https://nbebank.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/annualbulletin/Annual%20Report%202017-2018/Annual-report-2017-2018.pdf Olievschi, V. N. (2013). Railway Transport: Framework for improving railway sector performance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa Transport Policy Program SSATP Working Paper No. 94. https://clck.ru/3RaTgROyesiku, K., Onakoya, A. B., & Folawewo, A. (2013). An Empirical Analysis of Transport Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth in Nigeria. Social Sciences, 2 (6), 179-188. http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=202&doi=10.11648/j.ss.20130206.12 Railway Handbook 2015: Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions. (2015). OECD International Energy Agency, and International Union of Railways. https://uic.org/IMG/pdf/iea-uic_2015-2.pdf Ratner, J. B. (1983). Government Capital and the Production Function for U.S. private output. Economics Letters, 13 (2-3), 213-217. https://clck.ru/3RaTje Robinson, H., & Bamford, C. G. (1978). Geography of Transport. MacDonald and Evans. https://primoa.library.unsw.edu.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay/UNSW_ALMA21143970580001731/UNSWC Romp, W., & de Haan, J. (2007). Public Capital and Economic Growth: A Critical Survey. Perspektiven Der Wirtschaftspolitik, 8 (S1), 6–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2516.2007.00242.x Shepherd, B., Shingal, A., & Raj, A. (2016). The value of Air Cargo: Air Transport and Global Value Chains. Montreal: The International Air Transport Association (IATA). https://www.iata.org/contentassets/307646ccaf10488f9ee240c87d8f72dd/value-of-air-cargo-2016-report.pdf Shiferaw, A., Siba, E., Alemu, G., & Söderbom, M. (2013). Road Infrastructure and enterprise Dynamics in Ethiopia. Unpublished Thesis, The College of William and Mary, USA. Shiferaw, A., Söderbom, M., Siba, E. & Alemu, G. (2015). Road Infrastructure and Enterprise Dynamics in Ethiopia. Journal of Development Studies, 51 (11), 1541–1558. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220388.2015.1056785 Srinivasu, B., & Srinivasa, R. P. (2013). Infrastructure Development and Economic growth: Prospects and Perspective. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research, 2 (1), 2319–5614. https://clck.ru/3RaTnSStoyanov, A. D., & Sakharova, A. S. (2023). Accessibility of Energy from Renewable Energy Sources for Inhabitants of Arctic Cities. Ekonomika regiona [Economy of regions], 19 (3), 860-869. https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.reg.2023-3-18Taaffe, E., & Gauthier, H. (1973). Geography of Transportation. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey. World Bank Project Appraisal Document. (2003). Ethiopia — Second Road Sector Development Program Project. World Bank, Chicago.Alemnew, T. (2015). Public Infrastructure Investment, Private Investment and Economic Growth in Ethiopia: Co-Integrated VAR Approach. Unpublished MSc Thesis, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/14934 Aschauer, D. (1989). Is public expenditure productive? Journal of Monetary Economics, 23 (2), 177-200. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-3932(89)90047-0Bailey, M. (1975). Tanzania and China. African Affairs, 74 (294), 39-50. https://www.jstor.org/stable/720907?refreqid=excelsior%3A931aff4afcb51f598d998e983883479f Ball, P. (2015). The Cape to Cairo Railway Dream. http://www.theheritageportal.co.za/article/cape-cairo-railway-dream Bloom, D., Sachs J., Collier, P., & Udry, C. (1998). Geography, Demography, and Economic Growth in Africa. Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, 1998 (2), 207-295. https://doi.org/10.2307/2534695. Bogale, Y. A. (2012). Evaluating Transport Network Structure: Case Study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Unpublished MSc Thesis, University of Twente, the Netherlands. http://essay.utwente.nl/84786/1/bogale.pdf Brueckner, J. K. (2003). Airline Traffic and Urban Economic Development. Urban Studies, 40 (8), 1455–1469. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43100460Calderón, C., & Servén, L. (2008). Infrastructure and Economic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa. Policy Research Working Paper 4712, The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/6988 Erdei-Késmárki-Gally, S., & Neszmélyi, Gy. I. (2017). Regional development in the world–China’s role in Africa. Romanian Review of Regional Studies, XIII (1), 13-26. https://rrrs.reviste.ubbcluj.ro/site/arhive/Artpdf/v13n12017/RRRS13120172.pdf Fan, S. & Rao N. (2003). Public Spending in Developing Countries: Trend, Determination and impact. EPTD Discussion Paper 99. Washington, D.C.: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://ideas.repec.org/p/fpr/eptddp/99.html Foster, V. & Morella, E. (2011). Ethiopia’ s Infrastructure: A Continental Perspective. The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/27761Glied, V. (2008). Water conflicts in Africa. Afrika Tanulmányok [Hungarian Journal of African Studies], 2, 44-53. http://www.afrikatanulmanyok.hu/htmls/cikkek.html?articleID=718 (In Hung.) Gramlich, E. (1994) Infrastructure Investment: A Review Essay. Journal of Economic Literature, 32 (3), 1176-1196. https://clck.ru/3RaSmN Green, R. K. (2007). Airports and Economic Development. Real Estate Economics, 35 (1), 91-112. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-6229.2007.00183.x Gwilliam, K. (2011). Africa’s Transport Infrastructure: Mainstreaming Maintenance and Management. The World Bank. https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/2275 Hallaert, J. J, Cavazos-Cepeda, R. H., & Kang, G. (2011). Estimating the Constraints to Trade of Developing Countries. OECD Trade Policy Papers 116, OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1874738 Handbook on Infrastructure Statistics. (2011). Africa Infrastructure Knowledge Program, 243. https://clck.ru/3RaTWL Hoyle, B. & Knowles, R. (1999). Modern Transport Geography. 2nd Edition, Wiley. https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Modern+Transport+Geography%2C+2nd+Edition-p-9780471977773 Hu, Y., Xiao, J., Deng, Y., Xiao., Y., & Wang, S. (2015). Domestic Air Passenger Traffic and Economic Growth in China: Evidence from Heterogeneous Panel Models. Journal of Air Transport Management, 42, 95-100. https://clck.ru/3RaTZz Iimi, A., Humphreys, R. M., & Mchomvu, Y. E. (2017). Modal Choice between Rail and Road Transportation Evidence from Tanzania. Policy Research Working Paper 8174. https://clck.ru/3RaTdLJoumard, R. (1995). Transport and air pollution 1994: some conclusions. Science of the Total Environment, 169 (1–3), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/0048-9697(95)04730-O Kessides, C. (1993). The contributions of infrastructure to economic development, A review of experience and policy implications. World Bank Discussion Papers 213, Washington D. C. https://doi.org/10.1596/0-8213-2628-7 Llano, C., De la Mata, T., Díaz-Lanchas, J., & Gallego, N. (2017). Transport-mode competition in intra-national trade: An empirical investigation for the Spanish case. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 95, 334-355. https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transa/v95y2017icp334-355.html Mehmood, B., & Shahid, A. (2014). Aviation Demand and Economic Growth in the Czech Republic: Cointegration Estimation and Causality Analysis. Statistika: Statistics & Economy Journal, 94 (1), 54-63. https://doaj.org/article/3dc0a02194cd4ec088e25886da743d19 Mitsui, K., & Inoue, J. (1997). The Productivity Effect of Social Capital, Japanese Economy, 25 (3), 3–29. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2753/JES1097-203X25033 Munnell, A. H. (1992) Policy Watch: Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 6, 189-198. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.6.4.189 Nagy, H., Neszmélyi, Gy. I., & Abdulkadr, A. A. (2019). The Role of Agricultural Production and Trade Integration in Sustainable Rural Development: Evidence From Ethiopia. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-1042-1.ch021National Bank of Ethiopia. (2018). National Bank of Ethiopia Annual Report. Addis Ababa: National Bank of Ethiopia. https://nbebank.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/annualbulletin/Annual%20Report%202017-2018/Annual-report-2017-2018.pdf Olievschi, V. N. (2013). Railway Transport: Framework for improving railway sector performance in Sub-Saharan Africa. Africa Transport Policy Program SSATP Working Paper No. 94. https://clck.ru/3RaTgROyesiku, K., Onakoya, A. B., & Folawewo, A. (2013). An Empirical Analysis of Transport Infrastructure Investment and Economic Growth in Nigeria. Social Sciences, 2 (6), 179-188. http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/journal/paperinfo.aspx?journalid=202&doi=10.11648/j.ss.20130206.12 Railway Handbook 2015: Energy Consumption and CO2 Emissions. (2015). OECD International Energy Agency, and International Union of Railways. https://uic.org/IMG/pdf/iea-uic_2015-2.pdf Ratner, J. B. (1983). Government Capital and the Production Function for U.S. private output. Economics Letters, 13 (2-3), 213-217. https://clck.ru/3RaTje Robinson, H., & Bamford, C. G. (1978). Geography of Transport. MacDonald and Evans. https://primoa.library.unsw.edu.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay/UNSW_ALMA21143970580001731/UNSWC Romp, W., & de Haan, J. (2007). Public Capital and Economic Growth: A Critical Survey. Perspektiven Der Wirtschaftspolitik, 8 (S1), 6–52. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2516.2007.00242.x Shepherd, B., Shingal, A., & Raj, A. (2016). The value of Air Cargo: Air Transport and Global Value Chains. Montreal: The International Air Transport Association (IATA). https://www.iata.org/contentassets/307646ccaf10488f9ee240c87d8f72dd/value-of-air-cargo-2016-report.pdf Shiferaw, A., Siba, E., Alemu, G., & Söderbom, M. (2013). Road Infrastructure and enterprise Dynamics in Ethiopia. Unpublished Thesis, The College of William and Mary, USA. Shiferaw, A., Söderbom, M., Siba, E. & Alemu, G. (2015). Road Infrastructure and Enterprise Dynamics in Ethiopia. Journal of Development Studies, 51 (11), 1541–1558. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00220388.2015.1056785 Srinivasu, B., & Srinivasa, R. P. (2013). Infrastructure Development and Economic growth: Prospects and Perspective. Journal of Business Management & Social Sciences Research, 2 (1), 2319–5614. https://clck.ru/3RaTnSStoyanov, A. D., & Sakharova, A. S. (2023). Accessibility of Energy from Renewable Energy Sources for Inhabitants of Arctic Cities. Ekonomika regiona [Economy of regions], 19 (3), 860-869. https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.reg.2023-3-18Taaffe, E., & Gauthier, H. (1973). Geography of Transportation. Prentice-Hall, New Jersey. World Bank Project Appraisal Document. (2003). Ethiopia — Second Road Sector Development Program Project. World Bank, Chicago.