Djibouti handles 96.7% of Ethiopia's foreign trade

Djibouti handled 17.57 million tons of Ethiopian imports and exports during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, accounting for 96.71% of Ethiopia’s total foreign trade. Ethiopian Minister of Transport and Logistics Denge Boru reported that imports reached 15.93 million tons, while exports totaled 1.64 million tons.

Road transport remains the dominant method, accounting for 80.15% of the volume, followed by the Ethiopia-Djibouti railway at 18.92%. Coffee remains the primary export by volume. Despite efforts to diversify maritime access through corridors like Berbera and Mombasa-Moyale, Ethiopia remains heavily dependent on the Djibouti corridor.

Authorities noted that logistics in the region continue to face challenges due to tensions in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which contribute to increased transport costs and security risks.