ADDIS ABABA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopian and Djiboutian officials have praised the Chinese-built Ethiopia-Djibouti standard gauge railway for its pivotal role in promoting regional trade and economic cooperation.

Their remarks came during a high-level panel discussion held Friday at Lebu Railway Station, on the outskirts of Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, under the theme "Rail Infrastructure Boosting Trade and Regional Cooperation." The event brought together senior government officials and executives from the Ethio-Djibouti Standard Gauge Railway Share Company (EDR).

Ethiopia's Minister of Transport and Logistics, Alemu Sime, described the 752-km electrified transnational railway as "a practical example of successful regional economic cooperation."

"The Ethiopia-Djibouti railway infrastructure has become a critical enabler of economic development and regional integration, fostering trade and economic cooperation between the two connected countries," Sime said.

EDR recently announced plans to increase the railway's annual freight capacity from the current two million tonnes to 6.2 million tonnes by 2027. The goal is for the railway to handle at least 25 percent of Ethiopia's total import and export trade.

Ethiopia's Minister of Finance, Ahmed Shide, lauded the trilateral collaboration between Ethiopia, Djibouti, and China, calling the project a model of mutually beneficial cooperation.

"This grand infrastructure binds Ethiopia and Djibouti not only for current economic activities, but it is also going to cement the Ethiopia-Djibouti relationship for centuries to come," he said.

EDR Chief Executive Officer Takele Uma described the railway as a "lifeline" for both countries. "We are at the frontier to lead this infrastructure, the lifeline of Ethiopia and Djibouti that connects not only through infrastructure, but through the hearts and minds of people of the two countries," he said.

Underscoring the railway's growing strategic relevance, EDR highlighted its expanding suite of value-added services, including multimodal transport, freight forwarding, warehousing, customs clearance, and passenger services, which are reshaping logistics between Ethiopia and Djibouti. ■